CABINET OFFICE

Better Regulation Agenda

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on progress in removing unnecessary burdens on small businesses through the better regulation agenda;

Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on progress in removing unnecessary burdens on small businesses through the better regulation agenda.

Jim Murphy: We are making significant progress in implementing the package of reforms set out in the 2005 Budget.
	We have launched a major exercise to measure and then reduce the administrative burdens faced by business and we are on track with a major rationalisation of regulators. These changes will benefit small business.

Ministerial Visit

Ben Wallace: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will visit the Wyre Estuary in Lancaster and Wyre constituency to discuss the administration of the Duchy's lands there.

Jim Murphy: In the light of recent events and pending the appointment of a new Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster I am unable to commit to such a visit.
	However, I am aware that the hon. Member has arranged to meet with the Chief Executive of the Duchy of Lancaster in London on 17 November.

Special Advisers

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many special advisers are employed by the Government; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: There are currently 80 special advisers in post.

TRANSPORT

Transport Infrastructure (Shoreham)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the transport infrastructure improvements required in and around Adur in West Sussex to facilitate the proposed expansion of facilities at Shoreham airport and Shoreham harbour.

Karen Buck: Any proposals to expand Shoreham airport or harbour would be for the owners of those facilities to bring forward, alongside, as appropriate, proposals to address associated landside transport issues.

Regional Airports

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on Government support for regional airports.

Alistair Darling: The great majority of airports in the UK are operated on a commercial basis, but the Air Transport White Paper makes clear there may be a case for limited public funding to support small airports operated by local authorities and those in objective 1 and 2 areas. We have facilitated the use of route development funds and fifth freedom rights to attract new services at regional airports, and development agencies can provide support where it would help to deliver regional economic objectives.

A43

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on plans to upgrade the A43 Kettering to Northampton road.

Stephen Ladyman: Any plans to upgrade the A43 between Kettering and Northampton will be for Northamptonshire county council, as local highway authority, to consider.

Aircraft Pollution

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to reduce pollution caused by aircraft.

Karen Buck: The balanced strategy set out in The Future of Air Transport White Paper required that we did more to reduce and mitigate the environmental impacts of air transport. It included a range of measures at national and international level to address noise, local air quality and climate change issues. These are supplemented by specific environmental controls and appropriate mitigation action at individual airports.

Roadside Workers

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to reduce the number of traffic-related deaths of roadside workers; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: I have been discussing with the Highways Agency, it's contractors and stakeholders at the highest level, proposals to bring about a step change in the approach to health and safety for road workers to achieve a lasting reduction in the risks for this vulnerable group.

M4

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cars per day used junction 16 of the M4 in the last year for which figures are available; and what his estimate is of the capacity of the junction.

Stephen Ladyman: During 2004, on average 24,700 cars per day used junction 16 of the M4 (that is they turned on or off the motorway at this junction).
	A specific study would be required to determine the absolute capacity, however, peak hour congestion problems indicate that this junction is running at or above capacity at certain times of the day.

Rail Network (East Midlands)

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the regional rail network in the East Midlands.

Derek Twigg: The most recent assessment of the regional rail network in the East Midlands was made as part of the SRA Midland Mainline/East Midlands Route Utilisation Strategy which was published in March 2004. This work reviewed the usage of existing services and made recommendations around their future development.

Rail Services

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to encourage better rail services between Shropshire and London.

Derek Twigg: The Department is currently examining the business case for direct rail services between Shrewsbury, Telford and London. The work is being carried out in conjunction with local authorities in the area and other interested bodies.

Rail Services

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure reliable train services during the autumn and winter months.

Derek Twigg: Network Rail and train operators have measures in place to address the operational risks presented by severe weather in the autumn and winter. The details are an operational matter for Network Rail.

Sustainable Communities Plan

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what planning assessments have been made of the transport capacity of the Sustainable Communities Plan areas.

Karen Buck: The Milton Keynes South Midlands sub-regional spatial strategy was published on 17 March 2005. This provided the area with a framework for delivery of its spatial strategy including an assessment of transport capacity issues and requirements.
	The draft spatial strategy for the East of England which takes in London/Stansted/Cambridge/Peterborough growth area and parts of the Thames Gateway is current being tested through its examination in public. This draft contains a regional transport strategy.
	A similar planning process will follow in the rest of the south-east which takes in the Kent element of Thames Gateway and the Ashford growth area.

A5120

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the congestion on the A5120 in the vicinity of Junction 12 of the M1 motorway;
	(2)  what plans he has to improve traffic flows on the A5120 at Junction 12 of the M1 motorway.

Stephen Ladyman: Several sources of information have been used to determine existing traffic flows and vehicle movements at Junction 12; these include travel surveys, vehicle origin/destination data, and several vehicle surveys undertaken from 2003–04. This information has been used in traffic modelling work, which will forecast future traffic flows. The A5120 is the responsibility of Bedfordshire county council and we have no information about congestion in the vicinity of junction 12. However further studies will be undertaken as the M1 widening junctions 10–13 scheme is developed.
	Proposals to widen the M1 motorway between Junctions 10 and 13 (including improvements to junctions 11,12 and 13) were displayed at public consultation exhibitions from November 2004 to January 2005. A preferred route announcement for this scheme is planned for later this year.

Air Carrier Insolvencies

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the percentage of travel insurance policies which cover air carrier insolvency.

Karen Buck: Civil Aviation Authority research indicates about 10 per cent. of travel insurance policies cover air carrier insolvency.

Central Railway

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library copies of the documents on the Central Railway project that were released by his Department to Central Railway plc following an application under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Derek Twigg: The documents will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Concessionary Travel (South Gloucestershire)

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the cost to South Gloucestershire council of implementing the national half-fare concessionary travel scheme; and what additional resources he will be allocating to South Gloucestershire council in respect of the proposed extension of the concessionary travel scheme.

Karen Buck: The Government will provide an extra £350 million in 2006–07 which will be sufficient to fund the cost to local authorities. A decision on how the extra funding will be distributed will be made in due course.

Departmental Estate

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) land and (b) property his Department owns in the Shrewsbury and Atcham constituency.

Karen Buck: Details of land and property owned by the Department in Shrewsbury and Atcham constituency are set out as follows.
	The Highways Agency currently has three pieces of agricultural land in its portfolio, which fall in the Shrewsbury and Atcham constituency. These pieces of land are at Montford Bridge, Shrewsbury and together amount to 17.69 acres. Two pieces of land are to the east of the A5 and the third piece of land is to the west of the A5.
	The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency currently owns Shrewsbury Goods Vehicle Test Station, Ennerdale Road, Harlescott, Shrewsbury, SY1 3LF.

Eurotunnel

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of the Eurotunnel Working Group in addressing issues surrounding the process of Eurotunnel's audit system.

Derek Twigg: The Channel Tunnel Safety Authority's (CTSA's) Annual Report for 2004–05 notes, in paragraph 75, that the Health and Safety at Work and Human Factors Working Group will be considering, among other things, the process of Eurotunnel's audit system in the course of 2005–06. I expect that the CTSA's Annual Report for 2005–06 will cover the results of that consideration.

Highways Agency

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what systems are in place to ensure that there is consistency and national co-ordination of policy across regional offices of the Highways Agency; and whether he plans to make changes to the systems.

Stephen Ladyman: The Highways Agency is a national executive agency reporting to Ministers, with annual objectives agreed by Ministers and set out and published in its business plan each year. The chief executive of the Highways Agency is responsible for ensuring consistency of application of policy and co-ordination across its regional offices. He reports to me on a regular basis.

Motorway Crash Barriers

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the guidelines are for the (a) choice and (b) construction of each type of motorway crash barrier.

Stephen Ladyman: The choice of safety barrier in a motorway central reserve is controlled by the Highways Agency Interim Advice Note 60/05—The Introduction of a New Highways Agency Policy for the Performance Requirements for Central Reserve Safety Barriers on Motorways. The implementation of this advice requires future barriers to be of concrete unless there are over-riding circumstances.
	The guidelines for the choice and construction of the barrier that can be used in other motorway locations are contained in the documents listed:
	(a) Highways Agency Interim Requirements for Road Restraint Systems December 2004—Chapters 1 to 6 inclusive.
	(b) Highways Agency Interim Advice Note 44/05 (Rev 4)—Interim Requirements for Road Restraint Systems (Vehicle and Pedestrian) Revision 4. (IRRS)
	(c) European Standards in the Series EN1317—Road Restraint Systems.
	(d) Highways Agency Interim Advice Note 55/04—Guidance on the use of European Standard BS EN 1317—Road Restraint System.
	Detailed guidelines for the construction of safety barriers are contained in the manufacturer's product specifications and in the Manual of Contract Documents for Highway Works, Volume 1, Specification for Highway Works, Clauses: Series 0100, 0400, Appendices: A, C and E

Night Parking Charges

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport under what legal authority local authorities may charge for car parking in towns and city centres at night.

Karen Buck: Section 35 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 allows local authorities to charge for the use of off-street car parks, while section 46 allows them to charge for the use of designated on-street parking places. The determination of the levels of charges is a matter for individual authorities.

Ports

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list ports which are (a) compliant and (b) non-compliant under the International Ship and Port Security Code.

Stephen Ladyman: There are over 500 port facilities in the United Kingdom that are compliant under the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code. The names of the facilities have been lodged in the Library in the document titled ISPS Compliant Port Facilities in the UK".
	The ISPS Code applies to port facilities serving passenger ships and cargo ships over 500 Gross Tonnes engaged on international voyages and domestic Class A ferries which travel more than 20 nautical miles from the UK coastline.

Rail Franchises

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what costs have been incurred in respect of rail franchise tendering processes since May 1997.

Derek Twigg: The letting of franchises since 1997 has been successively undertaken by the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising, the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority, the Strategic Rail Authority and since July 2005, the Department for Transport.
	Franchise tendering costs were part of the general business costs of these organisations and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Rail Franchises

Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department plans to publish the consultants' final report on the review of the Northern Rail franchise; whether its recommendations will be incorporated into the 2006 rail timetable planning conference; and if he will make a statement on the implications of the review for the Northern Way" initiative.

Derek Twigg: Work on the review of the Northern Rail franchise is proceeding, and I expect to announce proposals for consultation early next year. The consultation will seek the views of organisations involved in the Northern Way" initiative.

Rail Franchises

Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date his Department plans to publish the final regional planning assessment for North East England; and whether its recommendations will be incorporated into the 2006 rail timetable planning conference.

Derek Twigg: I am currently considering the draft of the North East England rail regional planning assessment with a view to publication in due course.

Railways

Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date his Department plans to recommence the rail passenger partnership funding for new passenger rail services; what plans he has to review such funding; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: There are no specific proposals to re-introduce rail passenger partnership funding at this stage. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's statement to Parliament of 10 February 2005 sets out the funding for rail until 2008–09. Future funding arrangements for the railway will be reviewed as part of the 2007 spending review and the development of the high level output specification for Network Rail.

Railways

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are to upgrade the infrastructure at Shrewsbury railway station.

Derek Twigg: Network Rail is investigating potential enhancements to platform 3 in conjunction with Arriva Trains Wales, to improve capacity at the station, and this will be progressed after the impact of new timetables in December 2005 is known.

Railways

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the efficiency of rail links to Gravesham; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The pattern and efficiency of train services throughout Kent including services to Gravesham have been extensively reviewed in preparation for the forthcoming award of the new Integrated Kent Franchise. The latest published figures show South Eastern Trains achieving an 89.3 per cent. on-time performance in the first quarter of 2005–06.

Railways

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what correspondence he has received from the London business community on its contribution to the funding of Crossrail; and if he will publish it.

Derek Twigg: The Secretary of State has received a number of letters regarding the funding of Crossrail from representatives of the London business community. The Secretary of State does not generally publish the correspondence he receives and has no plans to do so in this case.

Railways

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the efficiency of rail links to (a) Kings Langley, (b) Apsley and (c) Hemel Hempstead; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: These stations have benefited from the West Coast Main Line Modernisation Project. Platforms have been extended to accommodate 12 car train lengths at all three stations. New air conditioned trains are also being introduced for certain services and line speed improvements are being implemented during 2006, to allow more attractive and reliable services to be operated.

Railways

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the performance of South East Trains since it was returned to public hands.

Derek Twigg: The performance of all train operators, including South Eastern Trains (SET), is monitored on a four-weekly basis. The most recent figures for SET show an on-time performance of 88.3 percent. Corresponding figures for the most directly comparable operators are 89.1 percent. for southern and 92.1 percent for South West Trains.

Railways

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the staff turnover rate for Cross London Rail Links Limited was in the past 12 months.

Derek Twigg: I understand from Cross London Rail Links Limited (CLRLL) that, between November 2004 and November 2005, the number of staff directly employed by the company rose from 59 to 73; eight employees left the company and 22 new employees joined.

Road Usage

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his estimate is of road usage by (a) domestic and (b) non-domestic heavy goods vehicles in the United Kingdom in 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: The latest available information that separately identifies the use made of roads in Great Britain by UK-registered and foreign- registered heavy goods vehicles is for 2003. Estimates for that year are as follows:
	
		
			  Billions 
			 Heavy goods vehicle traffic Vehicle kilometres 
		
		
			 (a) UK registered HGVs : 27.6 
			 (b) Foreign registered HGVs : 0.9 
		
	
	Source:
	DfT: Traffic in Great Britain, and Survey of Foreign Vehicle Activity in GB 2003

Road Usage

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of transcontinental haulage lorries in the United Kingdom in (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004 were non-domestic; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: Based on data collected by the Department about the number of heavy goods vehicles travelling to mainland Europe from Great Britain 1 the information is as follows:
	
		
			  UK-registered (thousands) Foreign-registered (thousands) Foreign-registered as share of total(1) (percentage) 
		
		
			 2002 493 1,290 72 
			 2003 474 1,322 73 
			 2004 493 1,447 74 
		
	
	(1) For a small number of vehicles country of registration is not known.
	Source:
	DfT: Road Goods Vehicles Travelling to Mainland Europe
	1. Traffic to the Republic of Ireland is excluded

Schools (Peak-time Traffic)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what support his Department is providing to initiatives to reduce the amount of peak time traffic around schools in (a) the Tees Valley and (b) the Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland constituency.

Derek Twigg: The Government want to reduce the present level of car use for journeys to and from school and make it possible for more pupils to walk, cycle or use public transport. The Department for Transport and Department for Education and Skills are providing support to all local authorities in England to help them achieve this through their joint Travelling to School" project.
	As part of the project both Departments are providing joint funding (£7.5 million a year) to local authorities to enable them to employ school travel advisers to work with schools and help them develop and implement school travel plans and other initiatives to reduce car use. In addition, the Department for Education and Skills is awarding small capital grants (from a fund of £20 million a year) to schools with approved school travel plans to enable them to make improvements to school sites that will encourage sustainable travel to school. Both funding for school travel advisers and small capital grants was originally awarded for the period April 2004 to March 2006 but was extended earlier this year to March 2008.

Telecommunication Masts

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether telecommunication masts constructed by Network Rail will be used to provide mobile phone telecommunication services for the general public; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: This is an operational matter for Network Rail. Network Rail will respond directly to the hon. Member.

Transport Links (Essex)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the Government have in the context of the Thames Gateway to build new transport links in Essex.

Karen Buck: DfT and ODPM are working with the South Essex Transportation Board to identify the further transport and other infrastructure needs of the area in the context of the Thames Gateway.
	In 2003 the Secretary of State for Transport announced a £1.6 billion investment in the widening of the M25. This programme will take in widening between junctions 27–30 on the Essex stretch of the motorway.
	DfT relies on the respective transport authorities to come forward with proposals for suitable schemes through their local transport plans. Provisional plans were submitted this summer and are currently being assessed.

Waterways

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines he has issued to users of waterways on the definition of the term commercial.

Stephen Ladyman: The term commercial, applied to a vessel, is generally explained as any vessel which is not a pleasure vessel.
	The term pleasure vessel" is defined, in the Merchant Shipping (Marine Accident Reporting and Investigation) Regulations 2005 as:
	pleasure vessel" means any vessel which is
	(i) wholly owned by an individual or individuals and used only for the sport or pleasure of the owner or the immediate family or friends of the owner; or
	(ii) owned by a body corporate and used only for the sport or pleasure of employees or officers of the body corporate, or their immediate family or friends, and is on a voyage or excursion which is one for which the owner is not paid for or in connection with operating the vessel or carrying any person, other than as a contribution to the direct expenses of the operation of the vessel incurred during the voyage or excursion; or
	(iii) any vessel which is wholly owned by or on behalf of a members' club formed for the purpose of sport or pleasure which, at the time it is being used, is used only for the sport or pleasure of members of that club or their immediate family, and for the use of which any charges levied are paid into club funds and applied for the general use of the club;
	and no payments other than those mentioned are made by or on behalf of the users of the vessel, other than by the owner, and in this definition, immediate family" means, in relation to an individual, the husband, wife or civil partner of the individual, and a brother, sister, ancestor or lineal descendant of that individual or of that individual's husband, wife or civil partner.

PRIME MINISTER

Civil Servants (Business Appointment Rules)

Tony Wright: To ask the Prime Minister when he expects the review of the business appointment rules for former civil servants will be published.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. Hutton) to the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb) on Friday 28 October 2005, Official Report, column 613W.

Departmental Spending

David Davies: To ask the Prime Minister how much his Office spent on items of art in 2004–05.

Tony Blair: My Office has not bought any items of art.

Dexion Workers

Michael Penning: To ask the Prime Minister if he will meet former Dexion workers from Hemel Hempstead.

Tony Blair: I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr. Hutton) will meet the hon. Member shortly to discuss this matter.

Ministerial Visit

Michael Penning: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit Hemel Hempstead Hospital in this session of Parliament.

Tony Blair: I have no current plans to do so.

Olympic Games

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Prime Minister why the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs chairs the Ministerial Committee on the Olympics.

Tony Blair: holding answer 7 November 2005
	I act in accordance with the way previous Prime Ministers have chosen their chairmen of Cabinet committees.

Overseas Visits

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to be accompanied by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on all trips to (a) China and (b) India.

Tony Blair: I am accompanied by Ministers as and when appropriate.

Visits

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2005, Official Report, column 1298W, for what reasons the cost of the visit was not met from public funds; and what the purpose of the visit was.

Tony Blair: This is not a matter for the Government.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

0870 Phone Numbers

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by his Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Alan Johnson: A number of services provided by contractors on behalf of my Department have used 0870 telephone numbers. From the central records available the 0870 telephone numbers used in the last five years are:
	0870 600 6080
	0870 240 5927
	0870 240 5929
	0870 606 1515
	0870 191 0111
	0870 191 0112
	0870 191 0113
	0870 191 0114
	0870 191 0115
	0870 191 0116
	0870 150 2100
	0870 150 2300
	0870 150 2333
	0870 150 2500
	The DTI has received no revenue from the use of these 0870 telephone numbers over the last five years.

Animal Health

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact on animal health of the coming into force of the Supply of Relevant Veterinary Medicinal Products Order 2005.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Regulatory Impact Assessment for the Order considers the effect on animal health in detail, noting in particular that veterinary surgeons will still take decisions on which medicines prescribed or dispensed for animals under their care. Animal health was considered both by the Competition Commission in making the recommendations implemented through the order and by Government when accepting the recommendations.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent estimate the Government have made of the carbon dioxide emissions produced by the (a) building, (b) maintenance and (c) decommissioning of a new nuclear power station and the mining of the uranium fuel over (i) 10, (ii) 20 and (iii) 50 years; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department has undertaken no assessment of the lifecycle carbon emissions of a nuclear fission plant.

Development Agencies

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list for each regional development agency in England the total sum spent on (a) corporate entertainment and (b) hospitality for each financial year since their creation.

Alun Michael: A table showing the breakdown for each of England's regional development agencies (RDAs) is as follows. The following definitions were used as a guide to each category:
	(a) Corporate entertainment—the amount staff recorded as entertainment costs in their travel and subsistence claims over the last five years.
	(b) Hospitality—expenditure on providing hospitality for RDAs' stakeholders and partners. RDAs do not account for such activities in this way, so these figures are an estimate, attributable to specific project activity. These figures do not include regular business meetings, consultation events, conferences and workshops where refreshments were provided.
	
		RDA spend on corporate entertainment and hospitality 1999–2005
		
			 £ 
			  1 April 1999–31 March 2000 1 April 2000–31 March 2001 1 April 2001–31 March 2002 
			  Corporate entertainment Hospitality Corporate entertainment Hospitality Corporate entertainment Hospitality 
		
		
			 Advantage West Midlands (AWM) 0 8,500 0 28,500 0 163,500 
			 East of England Development Agency (EEDA) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) 284 0 17,870 0 8,509 493 
			 London Development Agency (LDA) 0 0 209 0 31,957 0 
			 North West Development Agency (NWDA) 6,192 952 13,342 3,408 18,057 3,499 
			 One North East (ONE) 6,659 13,426 2,849 10,061 30,853 4,377 
			 South of England Development Agency (SEEDA) 24,304 — 34,689 — 47,063 — 
			 South West of England Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) 8,937 0 13,045 0 17,723 0 
			 Yorkshire Forward (YF) 3,405 0 20,095 0 19,616 0 
		
	
	
		
			  1 April 2002–31 March 2003 1 April 2003–31 March 2004 1 April 2004–31 March 2005 
			  Corporate entertainment Hospitality Corporate entertainment Hospitality Corporate entertainment Hospitality 
		
		
			 Advantage West Midlands (AWM) 0 8,600 0 8,900 0 8,000 
			 East of England Development Agency (EEDA) 4,649 3,000 11,582 9,417 32,777 6,851 
			 East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) 34,723 3,998 34,405 13,939 43,194 5,107 
			 London Development Agency (LDA) 16,801 0 23,133 0 19,462 0 
			 North West Development Agency (NWDA) 28,657 4,251 32,848 5,986 29,997 5,642 
			 One North East (ONE) 38,744 11,900 21,986 18,374 20,560 14,040 
			 South of England Development Agency (SEEDA) 36,089 — 50,858 — 45,640 5,000 
			 South West of England Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) 22,817 2,545 15,330 1,735 17,428 3,124 
			 Yorkshire Forward (YF) 25,957 19,035 33,545 30,883 26,977 12,299 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. AWM—the contents of the hospitality line and entertaining line do not include any costs relating to programme expenditure which are incurred incidentally on entertaining/hospitality as the information cannot easily be extracted.
	2. EEDA response—figures are not available for years prior to 2002–03, but are not believed to be significantly different from 2002–03 (ie approximately £7,500 for both categories together).
	3. SEEDA—the figures for corporate entertainment include hospitality—they were not able to separate them out before 2004–05.
	4. YF—the contents of the hospitality line and entertaining line do not include any costs relating to programme expenditure which are incurred incidentally on entertaining/hospitality as the information cannot easily be extracted from our database.

Global Interactive Entertainment

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the UK's position within the global interactive entertainment market place; and what steps he is taking to prevent the relocation overseas of UK-based interactive entertainment corporations.

Alun Michael: In 2002 the DTI published a detailed study of the competitiveness of the UK computer games industry entitled From Exuberant Youth to Sustainable Maturity". A copy was placed in the Libraries of the House. The analysis confirms that the UK has a vibrant and valuable computer games industry.
	DTI works closely with UK Trade and Investment and the sector in focusing its efforts on maintaining the UK's position as a centre of excellence for the global electronic interactive games industry. The UK is a free and open market for international business so the Government does not seek to inhibit companies from placing their global business in the location that best suits their need.

Home Credit Providers

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of whether a conflict of interest may arise from the Office of Fair Trading being responsible for regulating home credit providers and for assessing competitive problems in the market.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The OFT is a regulatory body which is charged with certain responsibilities set out in statute. Under the Consumer Credit Act many types of business—including home credit companies—have to obtain a licence from the OFT. Under the Competition Act and Enterprise Act the OFT is responsible for competition law.
	These functions are consistent as the OFT seeks to make markets work well and the CCA and competition powers both contribute to this aim. Therefore it is highly unlikely that any conflict of interest should arise.

Household Energy Bills

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average annual household bill has been for (a) gas and (b) electricity in each year since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: The average annual standard credit household bills for gas and electricity for each year since 1997 are shown in the following table:
	
		£
		
			  Electricity Gas 
		
		
			 1997 285 328 
			 1998 268 315 
			 1999 264 305 
			 2000 257 295 
			 2001 250 293 
			 2002 249 310 
			 2003 250 320 
			 2004 257 333 
			 2005 284 383 
		
	
	Note:
	Gas bills are calculated using an annual consumption of 18,000 kWh, electricity bills a consumption of 3,300 kWh. Figures are inclusive of VAT. Figures for 2005 bills for both fuels are provisional. These figures are in cash terms.
	Source:
	Quarterly Energy Prices, DTI.

Land and Vertical Agreements Exclusion Order

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reasons the Government decided to repeal the Land and Vertical Agreements Exclusion Order 2000.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government repealed the Land and Vertical Agreements Exclusion Order 2000 as part of the package of legislation that came into effect on 1 May 2004 to modernise competition law. The substantive arguments concerning repeal of this order may be found in the following documents:
	1. The Government's June 2003 consultation on its proposals for the treatment of existing exclusions and exemptions from the Competition Act 1998 in the light of EC Regulation 1/2003 which may be found at: http://www.dti.gov.uk/ccp/consultpdf/modconsult1.pdf. The section on vertical agreements is at pages 21–32.
	2. The Government's response to that consultation which may be found at http://www.dti.gov.uk/ccp/consultpdf/compmodresp.pdf. The section on vertical agreements is at pages 8–11.

Magazine Distribution

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations the Office of Fair Trading has received from the European Commission on the legality of magazine distribution in the UK.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The EU Commission submitted views to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) on the application of EU Competition Law to agreements on the distribution of newspapers and magazines, in response to the OFT's consultation document Newspaper, Magazine Distribution—Public Consultation on draft opinion of OFT" issued 19 May 2005.

Magazine Distribution

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the measures being taken by other European Union countries to ensure that they are compliant with relevant European Union competition law in respect of magazine wholesalers and distributors.

Gerry Sutcliffe: None. It is for other national competition authorities and/or the companies concerned to look at their domestic systems of newspapers and magazine distribution to assess whether they are compatible with competition law (including EC competition law).

Martin Benfield

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department were first informed of the allegations concerning Martin Benfield, a former secondee working in his Department in relation to his involvement with Europa Crown Limited; what information concerning the allegations was made known to (i) Ministers and (ii) his Department; what action was taken as a result of information received, including information from criminal proceedings in the USA; whether an investigation was conducted; and whether disciplinary procedures were pursued against any individuals.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 25 October 2005
	Bribery and corruption are criminal offences and as such are dealt with by the criminal justice system; in any such case evidence should be handed over to them. UKTI takes such allegations very seriously and co-operates fully with the criminal justice system if asked to do so.

National Minimum Wage

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many individual workers have benefited from the recent rise in the National Minimum Wage.

Gerry Sutcliffe: In October 2005, the national minimum wage for adults (workers aged 22 and over) increased to £5.05 per hour. For workers aged 18 to 21, the National Minimum Wage was increased to £4.25 per hour.
	The DTI estimates that around 1.3 million people in the UK will be covered by the October 2005 uprating of the National Minimum Wage. The DTI has based this estimate on data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2004.

Natural Gas

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which companies are the five largest suppliers of natural gas in the UK.

Malcolm Wicks: Because the source of the available information is a statistical survey, the information requested cannot be given without the direct agreement of all the companies concerned.

Nuclear Power

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the practicality of developing nuclear-based combined heat and power energy services in the North East.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department has undertaken no assessment of combined heat and power energy systems utilising nuclear generation.

Nuclear Reactors

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment has been made of the increase in the mass of spent fuel over the current stockpile that would be created by a new programme of 10 AP-1000 nuclear reactors.

Malcolm Wicks: While the Department has undertaken no formal assessment, an industry assessment is included in papers on keeping the nuclear option open (KNOO) that were prepared for the DTIs Energy Advisory Panel and contributed to the work on the Energy White Paper:
	KNOO Scoping Paper (EAP 11.06.02-P3)
	KNOO Summary Paper (EAP 01.10.02-P3)
	KNOO Miniprojects
	These papers were placed in the Libraries of the House at the start for this year in response to a written parliamentary question from the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent on 23 February 2005, Official Report, column 648w.

Nuclear Waste

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with the Canadian Nuclear Waste Management Organisation.

Malcolm Wicks: I have had no direct recent discussions with the Canadian Nuclear Waste Management Organisation (NWMO), however, officials of NWMO were invited to the UK recently by the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee and took the opportunity to visit during the week beginning 23 October.
	During the visit they held talks with members of the Lords Committee, the independent Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM), and met with relevant officials from Defra and the DTI.
	Options for the long-term management of higher activity wastes in the UK are currently the subject of consideration and evaluation by CoRWM, who are due to make their final recommendations to the Government in 2006. The long-term management policy for these higher activity wastes will then be decided by the UK Government and the devolved administrations in the light of CoRWM's recommendations.

Renewable Energy

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the capital grant funding required to deliver the Government's Energy White Paper commitment to a 10 year solar PV demonstration programme; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Since 2002 the Government have committed £41 million to the Major PV Demonstration programme and PV field trials. A further £30 million over three years has just been announced for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme, which will support renewables technologies including solar PV. In addition, the Government are developing a mirocgeneration strategy to tackle those barriers hindering the development of a sustainable market for microgeneration products.

Renewable Energy

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the deadline is for grant applications to (a) stream two of his Department's Solar PV Major Demonstration programmes and (b) the community stream of his Department's Clear Skies programme.

Malcolm Wicks: The Solar PV Major Demonstration programme will hold a final call for applications under stream two in February 2006 and the community stream of the Clear Skies will hold a final call for applications on 4 November 2005.

Renewable Energy

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the deadline is for final householder applications for stream one of his Department's (a) Clear Skies and (b) Solar PV Demonstration programmes.

Malcolm Wicks: There is no set deadline for householder (stream one) applications under Clear Skies and the Solar PV Demonstration programmes. Grants will be offered up until March 2006 unless forecasting shows that funding will run out sooner, in which case a month's notice will be given.

Renewable Energy

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much time will elapse between the end of stream two funding allocations under the Solar PV Demonstration programme and the Clear Skies Capital Grant programme and the start of stream two allocations under the Low Carbon Buildings programme.

Malcolm Wicks: Plans to bring forward £1.5 million from the new £30 million budget for the Low Carbon Buildings programme should address concerns about a potential funding gap between the existing and new programmes.

Renewable Energy

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) biomass, (b) tidal, (c) wind, (d) solar and (e) hydro-electric power in producing electricity; and what proportion of UK electricity production he expects each to contribute by 2010.

Malcolm Wicks: The Renewables Innovation Review was published in 2004 and considered which are the key renewable technologies for the delivery of the UK targets and aspirations for renewables, the UK's wider carbon reduction aspirations and for the creation of UK economic benefit. A copy of the review can be found on the DTI website at http://www.dti.gov.uk/renewables/renew_2.1.4.htm.
	The Renewables Obligation is the Government's key mechanism for encouraging renewable generation. It is market based and does not prescribe the level of contribution from different renewable technologies. However, it is expected that wind will make the major contribution towards the Government's 2010 target of 10 per cent. renewables with a smaller contribution from other technologies.

Self-employed

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what statutory help is available to the self-employed in connection with (a) maternity (i) pay and (ii) leave and (b) paternity leave.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The self-employed have no employer, so it is not possible for any statutory scheme of leave to apply to them.
	Maternity allowance (MA) is payable for 26 weeks to self-employed women who meet the qualifying conditions. Eligible women receive £106 per week, or 90 percent. of their average weekly earnings if that is less.

Solar Energy

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the likely impact on business planning for solar photovoltaic of the changes in funding mechanisms operated by the Department.

Malcolm Wicks: Business planning in the solar PV industry will need to take account of the recent announcement of a £30 million budget over three years for the low carbon buildings programme together with plans to develop a microgeneration strategy to tackle barriers to a sustainable market for microgeneration products.

Telecommunications

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the reasons why the target set by the telecoms adjudicator for 250,000 lines in the local loop network to be unbundled by June was not met; and if he will make a statement on his assessment of the impact of the failure to meet that target upon the Government's digital strategy;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to ensure that the target set by the telecoms adjudicator for one million lines to be unbundled from the local loop network by June 2006 is met; and if he will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The telecommunications adjudicator scheme was initiated by Ofcom, the independent regulator of the communications sector to facilitate scale processes for the unbundling of local loops to meet market demand. Membership of this industry scheme is voluntary by BT Group plc and the LLU operators. Any targets set by the independent adjudicator are a matter for him on the basis of the best information then available.
	The pace at which local loops are unbundled is a product of the regulatory framework set by Ofcom; the development of scale processes which is for BT, the industry and the adjudicator within that regulatory framework; and investment decisions by current and prospective LLU operators. I understand that lines are currently being unbundled at the rate of 4,000 a week; a rate that is expected by the adjudicator to rise substantially in the near term as existing broadband operators bulk migrate their customer base to LLU and as significant new operators invest in the market.
	The digital strategy is multi-faceted, involving coordination of activities across Government to gain concerted action to deliver the benefits of a digitally enabled UK. Success will require effective partnership between private, public, community and voluntary interests utilising a range of delivery mechanisms, including the internet, mobile and broadcasting technologies. Progress toward implementation is being made across the digital strategy, for example by the DfES on transforming learning with ICT, the Home Office multi agency child internet safety centre and the publication on 1 November, of the strategy for transformational Government enabled by technology, which set out the vision for Government in the twenty-first century.

Uranium

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry from which countries uranium is supplied to UK nuclear power stations.

Malcolm Wicks: Currently the majority of uranium for the UK's civilian nuclear power reactors is sourced from Australia and Canada.

Uranium

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the remaining unmined supplies of uranium across the world; and how many years' supply of uranium for nuclear power stations this represents should power generation continue at present levels.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department of Trade and Industry has made no estimate of the global supply of uranium or of the number of years that uranium could be supplied.
	The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Nuclear Energy Agency and the International Atomic Energy Agency has published a report examining uranium production. The report, Uranium 2003: Resources, Production and Demand"(2004) edition can be viewed at the OECD Bookshop website under Statistics Publications:
	http://www.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/index.asp?lang=en

Uranium

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent estimate he has made of the carbon dioxide emissions resulting from the (a) mining, (b) processing, (c) transportation and (d) utilisation of uranium used in the production of nuclear energy in the UK; and what that figure represents in terms of emissions per kilowatt hour of energy produced.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department has undertaken no assessment of the lifecycle carbon emissions of a nuclear fission plant.

World Trade Organisation

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his priorities are for the forthcoming World Trade Organisation meeting in Hong Kong.

Ian Pearson: Her Majesty's Government objective for the 6th World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong is to achieve a package that (i) is pro-development, (ii) helps build a more competitive European economy and (iii) allows a conclusion to the current trade round—the Doha Development Agenda—by the end of 2006.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Amateur Sports Clubs

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the average fee for a licence paid by amateur sports clubs is following the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003; and if she will make a statement.

James Purnell: The data is not available. However, we estimate that most amateur sports clubs will fall within fee bands A and B. As regards a premises licence or a club premises certificate, clubs falling within Band A (non domestic rateable value between £0 and £4,300) will pay a fee of £100 for any conversion, new application or variation, with an annual charge of £70 thereafter, while clubs falling within Band B (non domestic rateable value from £4,301 to £33,000) will pay a fee of £190 and an annual charge of £180.

BBC Licence Fee

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many complaints she has received regarding the BBC licence fee in each of the last 10 years.

James Purnell: The information requested is not recorded centrally.

Concessionary Television Licences

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many concessionary television licences for (a) over-75s and (b) blind people were issued in each constituency in the Yorkshire and Humber region in each of the past two years.

James Purnell: TV Licensing, who administer television licence fee concessions as agents for the BBC, are not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of concessionary licences issued. However, according to Department for Work and Pensions records, the number of households with at least one person aged 75 or over claiming the winter fuel payment in each constituency in the Yorkshire and Humber region in 2004–05 was
	
		
			 Constituency Households with a person aged 75 or over claiming the winter fuel payment, 2004–05 
		
		
			 Barnsley, Central 4,360 
			 Barnsley, East and Mexborough 5,015 
			 Barnsley, West and Penistone 5,065 
			 Batley and Spen 4,390 
			 Beverley and Holderness 5,910 
			 Bradford, North 4,495 
			 Bradford, South 4,815 
			 Bradford, West 4,070 
			 Brigg and Goole 5,145 
			 Calder Valley 5,880 
			 Cleethorpes 5,600 
			 Colne Valley 5,600 
			 Dewsbury 4,305 
			 Don Valley 5,070 
			 Doncaster, Central 5,850 
			 Doncaster, North 4,745 
			 East Yorkshire 6,985 
			 Elmet 5,785 
			 Great Grimsby 4,890 
			 Halifax 5,525 
			 Haltemprice and Howden 5,960 
			 Harrogate and Knaresborough 5,990 
			 Hemsworth 4,935 
			 Huddersfield 5,085 
			 Keighley 5,802 
			 Kingston upon Hull, East 5,350 
			 Kingston upon Hull, North 3,805 
			 Kingston upon Hull, West and Hessle 5,020 
			 Leeds, Central 4,270 
			 Leeds, East 4,400 
			 Leeds, North East 5,580 
			 Leeds, North West 5,300 
			 Leeds, West 4,460 
			 Morley and Rothwell 4,960 
			 Normanton 4,650 
			 Pontefract and Castleford 4,780 
			 Pudsey 5,705 
			 Richmond (Yorks) 5,515 
			 Rother Valley 4,875 
			 Rotherham 4,470 
			 Ryedale 6,510 
			 Scarborough and Whitby 7,250 
			 Scunthorpe 4,880 
			 Selby 5,500 
			 Sheffield, Central 4,115 
			 Sheffield, Attercliffe 6,055 
			 Sheffield, Brightside 4,235 
			 Sheffield, Hallam 5,080 
			 Sheffield, Heeley 5,995 
			 Sheffield, Hillsborough 5,970 
			 Shipley 5,785 
			 Skipton and Ripon 6,795 
			 Vale of York 6,010 
			 Wakefield 5,195 
			 Wentworth 5,035 
		
	
	Comparable information in relation to households with a person who is registered blind is not held centrally.

Departmental Staff (Relocation)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people in her Department (a) were relocated in 2004–05 and (b) are expected to be relocated in 2005–06 following the Lyons Review; where they have been relocated; and if she will make a statement.

David Lammy: DCMS's headcount has fallen by six since 1 April 2004. There have been no cost savings relating to IT projects. In 2004–05, DCMS's efficiency programme achieved savings totalling £28.5 million. Planned efficiency in 2005–06 total £152 million, against a programme target of £87 million. These savings have been made, or are expected to be made, in programmes across DCMS, the NDPBs it sponsors and local authority culture and leisure sectors.

Football Foundation

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money from the Football Foundation has been awarded in the Hartlepool constituency in each year since the organisation was founded.

Richard Caborn: Funding broken down by constituency is not available, but the overall approved total of funds committed to the Hartlepool region since the Football Foundation's creation in 2000–01 is £2,961,587.
	This figure includes funding for a range of capital projects, community and education initiatives, provision of football kit and stadia improvement projects.

Gambling Act

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what date Part 3 of the Gambling Act 2005 will come into force.

Richard Caborn: We plan to bring the Gambling Act 2005 fully into force with effect from September 2007, and we have no plans to bring any of the provisions of Part 3 into force before that date.

Gershon Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many full-time equivalent employee reductions have been made as a result of the Gershon review; what (a) cost savings relating to IT projects and (b) total value of efficiency savings (i) were achieved in 2004–05 and (ii) are expected to be achieved in 2005–06; and if she will make a statement.

David Lammy: The Department has no plans to relocate any people following the Lyons Review. However, in the non-departmental public bodies for which the Department is responsible, 12 posts in the Arts Council were relocated to Cambridge in 2004–05 and in 2005–06 there are plans to transfer 30 posts in the Big Lottery Fund to Newcastle.

Independent Sports Review

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had on the Independent Sports Review; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: I always welcome contributions and ideas regarding the way we fund and administer the delivery of sport. I therefore read the Independent Sports Review with interest and noted its recommendations. I have not held any recent discussions on the report.

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many IT projects which cost over £1 million and were introduced since 1997 are in use in her Department.

David Lammy: We have had no IT projects which have cost over £1 million.

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many of the IT projects costing over £1 million in use in her Department and introduced since 1997 have been scrutinised by the Public Accounts Committee; and if she will list them.

David Lammy: We have had no IT projects costing over £1 million scrutinised by the Public Accounts Committee.

National Lottery

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what definition she uses of additionality in relation to the operation of the national lottery.

Richard Caborn: We continue to follow the principle set out in our July 2003 policy statement
	"Lottery funding will not be allowed to become a substitute for funding that would normally fall to mainstream Government spending"
	a basic principle which has been expressed in slightly different ways in the past by successive Governments. We do not, however, believe that a legal definition is appropriate.

Olympic Games

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she has discussed with (a) the Football Association, (b) the Premier League and (c) the Football League plans to stage matches in the UK over the period of the Olympic Games in 2012; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 7 November 2005
	Neither my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, nor I have held any discussions with the football authorities about the staging of matches in the UK during the period of the Olympic Games in 2012. However, officials will be discussing this with the football authorities in due course.
	The International Olympic Committee (IOC), as part of the Host City Contract, ask all host cities to take steps to ensure that no major event that could have an impact on the successful organisation and staging of the Games takes place in London or at other competition venues during the period of the Games. The Government and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) will be working with the IOC, venue owners, local authorities and national governing bodies to ensure we take a common sense approach to the application of this particular requirement.

Olympic Games

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she has discussed with the England and Wales Cricket Board the staging of international cricket matches in the UK over the Olympic period in 2012; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 7 November 2005
	Neither my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, nor I have held discussions with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) about the staging of international cricket matches in the UK over the Olympic period. However, my officials met the ECB last week to discuss the issue.
	The International Olympic Committee (IOC), as part of the Host City Contract, ask all host cities to take steps to ensure that no major event that could have an impact on the successful organisation and staging of the Games takes place in London or at other competition venues during the period of the Games. The Government and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) will be working with the IOC, venue owners, local authorities and national governing bodies to ensure we take a common sense approach to the application of this particular requirement.

Premier League

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the Office of Communications has spent to date on its investigation into Premier League broadcasting rights.

James Purnell: Ofcom and the Office of Fair Trading, as the national competition authorities, have been advising the European Commission in relation to their investigation into the sale of Premier League broadcasting rights. The level of expenditure by Ofcom on this work is a matter for the Chief Executive, Stephen Carter, and officials have asked him to respond directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Super-casinos

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many bids there have been for a super-casino; and which locations such bids relate to.

Richard Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has established an independent casino advisory panel to assist her in the exercise of her order making powers under Section 175(4) of the Gambling Act 2005 to determine the geographical distribution of the new casino premises licences, including the licence for the one regional casino permitted by the Act.
	The panel is beginning to develop the necessary criteria for examining the proposals and detailing the process by which proposals should be submitted. It is envisaged that the panel will ask for formal proposals to be submitted to it early in the New Year.

Television Licences

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how the non-payment of television licences is detected.

James Purnell: The BBC has responsibility for the administration of the television licensing system and TV Licensing carries out the day to day administration under contract to the corporation. I have therefore asked the BBC's head of revenue management to consider the question raised by the hon. Member and to write to him direct. Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Ultra-local Television

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will reframe the BBC's remit in local communities as a cautious and selective intervention in limited areas where it is clear that commercial models are not sustainable.

James Purnell: As stated in the Green Paper published in March 2005, the BBC needs to be vigilant about its potential to have a negative effect on commercial competitors. The Green Paper set out proposals for achieving this including that significant new activities should be subject to market impact assessments. Further detail will be set out in the forthcoming White Paper.

Under-aged Drinkers

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what impact she expects the Licensing Act 2003 to have on alcohol abuse amongst under-aged drinkers in (a) England and (b) Gravesham.

James Purnell: When implemented on 24 November, the Licensing Act 2003 (the 2003 Act) will increase the penalties for selling alcohol to children. The maximum fine on conviction will be increased to £5,000 and there will be the ability to suspend or forfeit personal licences at first offence, rather than on second conviction, as is the case now. The Act also removes a range of exceptions which allow children to buy alcohol, for example in clubs, and on river and coastal 'booze cruises'.
	The 2003 Act is only one element of the Government's approach to tackling alcohol abuse. For example, the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy is founded on improving education and heath intervention, and the Violent Crime Bill will introduce a new closure power where premises are found to have sold alcohol persistently to people under 18-years-old.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

0870 Numbers

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by his Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has not operated any 0870 telephone numbers in the past five years, and therefore has not received any such revenue.

Africa

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how the aid to Africa agreed at the G8 summit is being allocated between countries.

Hilary Benn: As agreed at the Gleneagles summit, the commitments of the G8 and other donors will lead to an increase in official development assistance to Africa of US$25 billion a year by 2010.
	UK's assistance to Africa will increase to £1.25 billion per annum by 2008. These resources will be allocated to individual countries in line with DFID's resource allocation process. To help inform the decision, DFID uses a financial model to generate suggested allocations for bilateral country programmes. This model takes account of both the extent of a country's poverty and the likely effectiveness of UK aid in reducing that poverty. Vulnerability to economic shocks and the amount of aid which countries are likely to receive from other donors are also taken into account, alongside a number of other factors. Country-by-country, these include the effectiveness of multilateral channels, conflict and reconstruction needs, inequality and social exclusion, our historical engagement and the political environment. In line with our new policy on conditionality, aid allocations are subject to developing country governments' commitment to poverty reduction, sound financial management, and human rights.
	It is for other donors to decide how they will allocate their increased aid between African countries.

Departmental Skills Development Plan

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which individual is responsible for developing and implementing his Department's Skills Development Plan.

Gareth Thomas: DFID's Human Resources Director is responsible for developing and implementing the Department's Skills Development Plan.

Departmental Skills Development Plan

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's Skills Development Plan.

Gareth Thomas: I have arranged for the document entitled DFID Skills Development Plans, 2005–2006" to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Departmental Staff (Literacy and Numeracy)

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of new recruits to his Department do not have a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics.

Gareth Thomas: DFID does not collect data on the qualifications of its new recruits. The vast majority of our posts require qualifications above level 2. We verify qualifications before a new recruit takes up post. Even where we do not require qualifications at level 2 or above, our competence based recruitment, which may include literacy and numeracy tests as appropriate, provide an assurance on levels of skill.

Departmental Staff (Literacy and Numeracy)

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what methods of assessment of (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills are used as part of the recruitment process by employees of his Department.

Gareth Thomas: I refer the member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton to my response answer given the 27 October 2005, Official Report, column 511W.

Departmental Staff (Relocation)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people in his Department (a) were relocated in 2004–05 and (b) are expected to be relocated in 2005–06 following the Lyons Review; where they have been relocated; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: As a result of the Lyons Review, DFID agreed to relocate 85 posts from London to its office in Abercrombie House, East Kilbride. As at the end of September 2005, 74 posts have so far been relocated, of which five were relocated between January to March 2004, 40 were relocated during the financial year 2004–05, and 29 in the first six months of 2005–06. Another five moves are planned before the end of December 2005, and the target will be met by the end of 2005–06. All relocations are to East Kilbride.

Diplomatic Representation

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the contribution to (a) development and (b) his Department's work of United Kingdom embassies and high commissions in developing countries.

Hilary Benn: The United Kingdom impacts on development through many of its policies, not just those relating to aid. DFID therefore works closely with other Government Departments on issues such as trade, agriculture, migration and security, to improve the development impact of UK policies. DFID works particularly closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) because of its political role and presence in developing countries. We do this through several mechanisms at Whitehall and country level. For example, the global and Africa conflict prevention pools bring together the FCO, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and DFID to improve the UK's response to countries affected by conflict. We post development experts into embassies, and in the case of Sudan, have set up a joint FCO-DFID unit. These mechanisms have helped to promote closer understanding and working between the Departments.
	UK Government Departments make assessments of their own performance against their objectives (as expressed in their public service agreements (PSA) twice annually. These assessments are published in the departmental reports and autumn performance reports which are available in the Libraries of the House. Where Departments share public service agreement targets, these assessments of progress are made jointly. The FCO therefore makes its own assessment of progress against its PSA target on sustainable development, which is their target most closely related to international development. DFID, the FCO and the MOD make a joint assessment of progress against the shared conflict prevention target, and DFID, the FCO and the Department of Trade and Industry make a joint assessment of progress against the shared target on international trade. The next assessment will be provided in the autumn performance report 2005, which will be published in December.
	Both DFID and the FCO closely monitor our working relationship and an action plan is in place to improve in collaborative working, both in the UK and overseas. We are reviewing how best to work with the FCO at country level. DFID country offices may be co-located with a British embassy or high commission, or may operate from stand-alone premises, depending on local circumstances. Whether co-located or not, there is close co-operation between the embassy/high commission and the DFID country office. This includes the sharing of analysis of local political, economic and development issues, of mutual benefit to the work of both Departments. Efforts to monitor collaboration at country level forms part of our work on improving the impact of the overall UK policy on development.

Disasters Emergency Committee

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will encourage the Disasters Emergency Committee to extend the list of organisations to whom it offers free transport of relief materials to those areas in Kashmir, Pakistan and India that were affected by the recent earthquake.

Gareth Thomas: DFID is funding flights for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) agencies so that the money they raise from their public appeal is spent on relief materials and programmes. So far we have funded 46 flights. We encourage the DEC to share available space on flights whenever possible.

Indian Ocean Tsunami

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what targets were set to measure the impact of UK aid to countries affected by the Indian ocean tsunami.

Gareth Thomas: Each country affected by the Tsunami produced a detailed needs assessment in order to guide the relief and reconstruction effort. DFID's humanitarian relief and reconstruction work has been agreed in close consultation with country Governments in light of these assessments. A detailed independent review of our humanitarian response in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and India has been completed. This confirmed that DFID projects were appropriate to the relief needs of the affected populations, and were effectively implemented in a way which maximised their impact. DFID will undertake similar assessments of our reconstruction work once the balance of funds available has been fully committed.
	Individual agencies providing relief and reconstruction assistance are expected to have set their own targets, taking into account affected country Government's needs assessments. In line with the Charity Commission's Statement of Recommended Practice 2004, it is then expected that they report annually on progress and activities against their stated objectives.

Indian Ocean Tsunami

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the progress of (a) UK and (b) EU-funded reconstruction programmes in countries affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami.

Gareth Thomas: A detailed independent review of our humanitarian response in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and India has been completed. This confirmed that DFID projects were appropriate to the relief needs of the affected populations, and were effectively implemented in a way which maximised their impact.
	DFID has allocated £65 million to meet reconstruction needs in the tsunami affected countries. Of this, £41 million has been committed; the use of the balance will depend on evidence of where this funding can be most appropriately used. Assessment of the use of these funds will begin once they have been fully committed.
	The Government of Sri Lanka, together with donors, is currently reviewing the impact of all tsunami recovery programmes. This review is expected to be completed by the end of November, and as well as detailing successes will also identify areas where increased effort is required.
	The European Court Authorities are currently evaluating the humanitarian programmes of ECHO (Humanitarian Aid Department of the European Commission). However, their report is not yet available. No assessment has yet been made of EU funded reconstruction programmes as much of this work is still underway.

TB

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what average percentage of funding allocated to direct budget support was attributed to the control and treatment of TB in the last year for which figures are available.

Gareth Thomas: DFID provides a significant part of its funding directly to Government budgets in support of their overall strategies for poverty reduction (Poverty Reduction Budget Support). DFID provided £339 million in 2003–04 and £423 million in 2004–05 in this way. Partner Governments may use some part of this funding directly for TB control activities, or for building up health services to diagnose and treat TB as well as other major causes of ill health. It is not currently possible to provide accurate estimates of the proportion of PRBS which is spent directly on TB control and treatment. This is because national Governments do not have financial accounting systems that trace the proportion of direct budget support spent on individual diseases.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces Pay

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what account is taken of differences between the value of pension provision of members of the armed forces and that of workers in comparable jobs in the private sector when settling the pay of members of the armed forces.

Don Touhig: The Armed Forces Pay Review Body, in their recommendations on the total remuneration package for the armed forces, make an adjustment to comparator earnings figures to take account of the higher relative value of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme benefits against that of the pension schemes of comparator organisations. The non-contributory nature of the scheme is one factor taken into account but a key factor is the early and fast accrual of benefits under the AFPS compared with those available in the civilian sector.

Core Sites Initiative

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department's Core Sites Initiative will be concluded; if he will publish an interim report on progress on the Initiative; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: The initial categorisation was completed in December 2002. Since then we have set in train some major packages of rationalisation and, as reported in the Stewardship Report on the Defence Estate 2004, we have used the baseline data collected during the Core Sites work to help inform our planning toward an estate of the right size and quality. We are working now on producing a rationalisation plan to cover the whole estate that, once initiated, will facilitate further consolidation of defence activity on to a smaller number of more densely utilised locations. Future operational needs, technological advances, and organisational change will be key factors in our planning for the future estate. Each rationalisation proposal that emerges will be subject to full consultation in the normal way.

WALES

Carbon Management Programme

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department will sign up to the Carbon Trust's Carbon Management programme.

Nick Ainger: In June 2003 the Wales Office became a separate entity within the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA). The current DCA plan is to sign up to the Carbon Management programme, but has no date fixed for joining the scheme.

Carbon Offset Scheme

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much is due to be spent in (a) 2005–06 and (b) each of the next four financial years on the carbon offset scheme by his Department; and what estimate he has made of the number and distance of flights and related carbon dioxide emissions which are being offset in each case.

Nick Ainger: In June 2003 the Wales Office became a separate entity within the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) and complies with its environmental policies. The DCA is considering adopting the Carbon Offset Scheme.

Sustainable Development

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he plans to publish the next departmental sustainable development action plan.

Nick Ainger: In June 2003 the Wales Office became a separate entity within the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) and operates within the DCA's action plan.
	The DCA is developing a new action plan to be published this financial year, via its website—www.dca.gov.uk

Sustainable Development

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment has been made of progress towards implementation of each target set in the last departmental sustainable development action plan.

Nick Ainger: In June 2003 the Wales Office became a separate entity within the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA). It is covered by DCA action plans and reports. The DCA is developing a new action plan, based on targets laid out in the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. The plan is to be published this financial year, via the DCA website—www.dca.gov.uk

Sustainable Development

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of (a) new building work and (b) refurbishment of buildings of (i) his Department and (ii) agencies of his Department, has been subject to environmental assessment using BREEAM and BREEAM98 since May 1997.

Nick Ainger: The Wales Office has had no major building refurbishment work, since it was established in July 1999.

Welsh Housing Quality Standard

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with (a) the National Assembly for Wales and (b) the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the funding for enabling Welsh councils to reach the Welsh Housing Quality Standard by 2012.

Nick Ainger: The Welsh Assembly Government's long-term vision is that everyone in Wales shall have the opportunity to live in good quality homes. To achieve this, steps are needed to ensure that existing housing meets the Welsh Housing Quality Standard. Social landlords are expected to devise realistic programmes to bring their properties up to the standard by the end of 2012. The Assembly has an agreement with HM Treasury that enables housing authorities to pay off overhanging debt to the Public Works Loan Board, on transfer of stock to a registered social landlord.

Winter Deaths

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people aged over 65 years in Wales died in each year since 1997 as a result of the effects of the winter months; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Ainger: Estimates from the Office for National Statistics indicate that excess winter deaths of people aged 65 and over in Wales since 1997 have been as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997–98 1,200 
			 1998–99 2,670 
			 1999–2000 2,660 
			 2000–01 1,470 
			 2001–02 1,460 
			 2002–03 1,340 
			 2003–04 1,480 
			 2004–05 1,800 
		
	
	Note:
	Estimates up to 2003–04 to the nearest 10, for 2004–05 to the nearest 100
	The Welsh Assembly Government has policies and actions to reduce the impact of cold winter weather on the health of older people. It funds the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme, which provides insulation and central heating in homes. The annual Keep Well This Winter campaign encourages older people to take extra measures to look after their health during the winter, such as having the flu vaccination, eating properly and taking appropriate exercise, by keeping warm and by keeping safe.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Sinn Fein Members (Allowances)

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Leader of the House what total amount of public money has been spent on additional cost allowance claims by Sinn Fein Members of the House of Commons since they became eligible to make such claims.

Geoff Hoon: Between 8 January 2002 and 31 March 2005, when Sinn Fein Members were eligible to claim allowances, the total of the additional cost allowance claimed by all Sinn Fein Members has been £211,041.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Advisory Committee on Pesticides

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the membership is of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides.

Elliot Morley: The list of current members of the ACP is published on their website at http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/acp.asp?id=1506
	Current members are:
	Membership of The Advisory Committee on Pesticides: 1 January 2005
	Chairman
	Professor David Coggon is Professor of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at the Medical Research Council Environmental Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton. He has been the Chairman of the Committee for five years.
	Deputy Chairman
	Professor Robert Smith is a Professor of Biology at the University of Leicester and has been a member of the Committee for five years and Deputy Chairman for two years.
	Members
	Dr. Nicholas Bateman is Director of the Scottish Poisons Information Bureau, Reader in Clinical Pharmacology and Consultant Physician in Edinburgh. He has been a member of the Committee for five years. Dr. John Cherrie is an Occupational Hygienist at the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Edinburgh and Honorary Reader at the University of Aberdeen. He has been a member of the Committee for two years.
	Mr. James Clarke is Science and Business Development Manager of ADAS Sustainable Crop Management at ADAS. He has been a member of the Committee for two years.
	Dr. Richard (Charlie) Clutterbuck is an Honorary Visiting Fellow in the Department of Health Management and Food Policy, City University London and has been a member of the Committee for two years.
	Professor David Colman is Professor of Agricultural Economics in the School of Social Sciences at The University of Manchester, and is a new member to the Committee.
	Dr. Clifford Elcombe is a Senior Lecturer, (toxicologist) at the Biomedical Research Centre, Dundee University and has been a member of the Committee for three years.
	Dr. Ian Grieve is a Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Environment Science at the University of Stirling and has been a member of the Committee for four years.
	Professor Gabrielle Hawksworth is a Professor of Molecular Toxicology at The University of Aberdeen, and is a new member to the Committee.
	Dr. Charles Vyvyan Howard is a Senior Lecturer, (medical toxico-pathologist) in the Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Liverpool and has been a member of the Committee for two years.
	Ms Rosaline Howell is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences at Manchester Metropolitan University and has been a member of the Committee for one year.
	Dr. Alastair Leake is Head of The Game Conservancy Trust's Allerton Project in Loddington, Leicestershire and is a new member to the Committee.
	Professor David Macdonald is Director of the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit at the University of Oxford and is A. D. White Professor at Cornell University. He has been a member of the Committee for two years.
	Professor Lorraine Maltby is Professor of Environmental Biology at The University of Sheffield and has been a member of the Committee for two years.
	Ms Diane McCrea is an independent consultant in food and consumer affairs and has been a member of the Committee for one year.
	Dr. Patricia McElhatton is Director of the National Teratology Information Service in Newcastle upon Tyne and has been a member of the Committee for five years.
	Dr. Martin McPherson is a Technical Director at Crop Protection Services, Stockbridge Technology Centre in Selby, and is a new member of the Committee.
	Dr. Daniel Osborn is Science Director for the Sustainable Economies Programme of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and has been a member of the Committee for two years.
	Dr. Vinod Tohani is a Consultant in Public Health Medicine/Consultant in Communicable Disease Control at the Southern Health Board in Armagh, Northern Ireland and has been a member of the Committee for three years.
	Dr. Rosemary Waring is a Reader in human toxicology at the School of Biosciences at the University of Birmingham and has been a member of the Committee for two years.
	Prof. Coggon has served as Chairman for two consecutive terms of office and will retire from this position on 31 December 2005
	I have recently announced the appointment of Prof. Jon Ayres as Chairman of the committee with effect from 1 January 2006 for a term of three years. http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2005/051021d.htm

Aircraft Pollution

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research her Department has undertaken into the polluting effects of chemtrails for aircraft.

Elliot Morley: The Department is not researching into chemtrails from aircraft as they are not scientifically recognised phenomena. However, condensation trails (contrails) are known to exist and have been documented since the 1940s. Contrails are composed of ice crystals forming on the small particles and water vapour emitted by aircraft as the result of the combustion process, they form behind high-flying aircraft depending on the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere.
	A major scientific report, Aviation and the Global Atmosphere", was published in 1999 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The report assessed the current contribution of aviation to climate change and, based on a range of scenarios and assumptions, forecast its contribution up to 2050. It estimated that contrails covered about 0.1 per cent. of the Earth's surface in 1992 and projected this cover would grow to 0.5 per cent. by 2050 (on middle range assumptions). More recently this work has been updated from the results of the EU 5th Framework Project, TRADEOFF.
	Contrails continue to be the subject of research to help better understand both how they are formed and what effects they have on the atmosphere.

Avian Influenza

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the length of time the avian influenza virus survives in soil.

Ben Bradshaw: The survival of avian influenza viruses in the environment will be influenced by the strain of the virus, whether they are held in water or faeces, the host from which the faeces came, the physical properties of the faeces and the ambient temperature. The scientific literature gives a range, with different strains of virus from 12 to 36 hours at 37C for chicken faeces artificially infected with Low Pathogenic H7N2 to at least 105 days in wet faeces under field conditions with High Pathogenic H5N2.

Avian Influenza

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many birds (a) entered and (b) died in quarantine in the UK in each year from 2000 to 2005.

Ben Bradshaw: Figures from the EU wide computer system used to record imports of animals and their products, known as TRACES, show that from January 2004 to date 186,442 captive birds were imported into the UK.
	From January 2000 to December 2004 our records show that 679,166 captive birds were imported into the European Union. We do not have figures for UK imports during this period as this figure was obtained from the previous EU computer system and a detailed breakdown of the figures is no longer available.
	These figures are for captive birds, as no distinction can be made between captive bred birds and wild caught birds. The figures to not include poultry. However there are discrepancies between these figures and the figures reported by CITES. We are concerned about these discrepancies between these figures and are urgently investigating them to resolve the problem.
	Records of bird deaths in quarantine are not held centrally. However any such deaths are required to be reported by the quarantine facility to their local veterinary inspector who arranges for post-mortem examination at an approved laboratory.

Avian Influenza

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the arrangements are for ministerial responsibility for the State Veterinary Service across England and Wales in (a) normal circumstances and (b) the event of an outbreak of avian influenza.

Ben Bradshaw: I have ministerial responsibility for the State Veterinary Service in both normal circumstances and during animal disease outbreaks.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has overall responsibility for Defra and its agencies.
	Details of how the Prime Minister, other Ministers and the Devolved Administrations are involved in the management of disease emergencies, can be found in Defra's Exotic Animal Disease Generic Contingency Plan". The contingency plan is on Defra's website.

Avian Influenza

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps are being taken by her Department to ensure that bird farmers are adequately protected against risks of avian influenza; and what information is being disseminated by her Department to farmers regarding the current situation.

Ben Bradshaw: Information for bird keepers regarding worker protection has been published on the Defra website (http://defraweb/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/poul trykeepers.htm). This information includes biosecurity advice, recommendations regarding personal protective equipment and guidance on measures to take should an outbreak of avian influenza virus be suspected.
	As a matter of course we have distributed guidance material to our partners in the industry who are helping to distribute this material to their members, who cover the great majority of bird keepers. We have also produced a simple one-page leaflet on biosecurity and surveillance for smaller concerns and hobby keepers. This was posted on our website and sent out to organisations representing the industry to send on to their members. It has also been mailed to 3,800 vet practices in Great Britain.
	In addition we have placed adverts in trade and specialist press targeting the same audience to get biosecurity and surveillance messages across. All these pieces of guidance are available on the Defra website.

Avian Influenza

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish new advice to poultry-keepers regarding measures that they can take to reduce the risk of spreading avian influenza.

Ben Bradshaw: We have reviewed our biosecurity guidance for poultry keepers and published two leaflets during the last month, one aimed at commercial keepers and the other for smaller concerns and hobby keepers. We have also published advice on assessing risks.
	We have distributed this guidance material to our partners in the industry who are helping to distribute to their members, who cover the great majority of bird keepers. In addition, the material has been mailed to 3,800 vet practices in Great Britain in order to reach the hobby keeper. We have also placed adverts in trade and specialist press to get biosecurity and surveillance messages across to this same group.
	This information is available on the Defra website: http://defraweb/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/poultrykeepers.htm).

Avian Influenza

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the epidemiological significance of clades is in relation to the H5N1 virus of avian influenza.

Ben Bradshaw: Between 15 and 20 clades of H5N1 avian influenza virus have been identified since typing work began. The H5N1 viruses which have caused disease in poultry and humans since 2004 lie within a distinct sub-grouping formed by two clades.

Biofuels

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the level of tax on biofuels; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Department is in regular contact with Treasury Ministers to discuss a whole range of matters related to energy and environmental policy. In addition, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs meets regularly with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on a wide range of matters that affect the business of the Department. As with all tax matters, decisions on duty incentives rest with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Bird Trade

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many wild birds were traded into the UK (a) in 2004 and (b) to date in 2005; and what checks have been made for avian influenza among these birds.

Ben Bradshaw: Figures from the EU wide computer system used to record imports of animals and their products, known as TRACES, show that in 2004 67,480 captive birds were imported into the European Union. Of these 66,586 were imported into the UK.
	In 2005, 120,639 captive birds were imported into the EU to date. Of these 119,856 were imported into the UK.
	These figures are for captive birds, as no distinction can be made between captive bred birds and wild caught birds. The figures do not include poultry. However there are discrepancies between these figures and the figures reported by CITES. We are concerned about these discrepancies between these figures and are urgently investigating them to resolve the problem.
	All imported captive birds must be held in quarantine for 30 days during which time a test must be carried out for the avian influenza virus.

Brazilian Meat

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what means of identification is available to segregate the two parts where consignments of beef from Brazil are a mixture of animals slaughtered before and after 30 September.

Ben Bradshaw: The packaging of consignments has a traceability code which includes three elements: the approval number of the meat plant; the slaughter date; and an internal number. For example:
	Code: 17510109050000 =
	1751—Approval number of plant
	01–1st
	09—September
	05—2005
	0000—internal number
	Border inspection posts can therefore determine from the traceability code on the boxes of meat, the date the animal was slaughtered.

Byway Claims

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many byway claims were made to (a) Wiltshire county council and (b) other county councils between 5 August and 11 October; and how many of these were attributable to the Trail Riders Federation in each case.

Jim Knight: The figures provided by county councils are as follows.
	
		
			 Highway authority Number of byway claims made between 5 August and 11 October Number of these claims attributable to Trail Riders Fellowship 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire 0 — 
			 Buckinghamshire 0 — 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 — 
			 Cheshire 0 — 
			 Cornwall 0 — 
			 Cumbria 2 2 
			 Derbyshire 0 — 
			 Devon 0 — 
			 Dorset 24 19 
			 Durham 0 — 
			 East Sussex 0 — 
			 Essex 0 — 
			 Gloucestershire 2 0 
			 Hampshire 0 — 
			 Herefordshire 0 — 
			 Hertfordshire 0 — 
			 Kent 0 — 
			 Lancashire 1 0 
			 Leicestershire 0 — 
			 Lincolnshire 5 4 
			 Norfolk 0 — 
			 Northamptonshire 0 — 
			 Northumberland 0 — 
			 North Yorkshire 1 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 — 
			 Oxfordshire 0 — 
			 Rutland 0 — 
			 Shropshire 0 — 
			 Somerset 0 — 
			 Staffordshire 0 — 
			 Suffolk 4 0 
			 Surrey 0 — 
			 Warwickshire 0 — 
			 West Sussex 0 — 
			 Wiltshire 12 3 
			 Worcestershire 0 —

Departmental Estate

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) land and (b) property her Department owns in Kettering constituency.

Jim Knight: holding answer 3 November 2005
	The Department does not own any land or property in the Kettering constituency.

Energy Efficiency

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps are being taken to build local markets for biomass wood fuel.

Elliot Morley: The Government support the use of woodfuel for the generation of heat, combined heat and power (CHP), and electricity. We are working closely with industry and others to develop markets and promote uptake. Householders and community organisations can apply for funding under DTI's £12.5 million Clear Skies Initiative to install renewable energy schemes, including wood-fuelled boiler systems. Defra's £60 million Community Energy programme provides capital grants to install new and refurbish old community heating networks, including renewable energy systems. DTI and the Big Lottery Fund's Bio-energy Capital Grants Scheme has allocated £66 million of funding to develop end-use markets for biomass, including woodfuel, in the heat, CHP and electricity generation sectors. Grants are also available from the regional development agencies. Co-firing of woodfuel with fossil fuels in conventional power stations is a developing end-use. Support to help develop the supply chain for woodfuel has been made available under the £3.5 million Bio-energy Infrastructure Scheme. The Community Renewables Initiative's local support teams are working to develop local woodfuel projects in their areas.
	We recognise that there are issues that make it difficult to encourage the confidence needed for the development of woodfuel markets. The Biomass Task Force, led by Sir Ben Gill, was set up a year ago to identify the barriers to developing biomass energy, including woodfuel, and to recommend ways to overcome the problems. Their report was published on 25 October. The Government has committed itself to publishing a full response to the report within the next six months.

Energy Efficiency

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of current energy usage in the public sector the Government estimates can be saved through energy efficiency measures.

Elliot Morley: For analysis purposes, the public sector is usually treated as part of the wider commercial and public services sector. Estimates from experts vary, depending on assumptions made. In broad terms, it might be possible to achieve savings of around 30 per cent. if all technical measures were implemented, regardless of cost, across the sector as a whole. However, the potential for cost-effective measures by 2010 is around 10 per cent.. The same figures are assumed to apply to the public sector share.

Flooding

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in what circumstances victims of flooding are eligible for compensation from her Department.

Elliot Morley: The approach adopted by successive governments has been that no compensation is generally payable to those affected by flooding. This reflects the fact that flood defence legislation is based on permissive powers" i.e. that bodies such as the Environment Agency are empowered to undertake flood defence works but are not obligated to do so.

Flooding

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what criteria the Department uses to decide whether a storm is of a one in 30-year storm for the purposes of establishing when compensation may be paid by a water undertaking following flood damage;
	(2)  what legislation governs compensation payments by water undertakings in the event of flooding.

Elliot Morley: The Guaranteed Standards Scheme (GSS) sets out the conditions under which customers of water and sewerage companies are entitled to compensation. It lays down statutory standards of service that must be met by companies for internal sewer flooding and is governed by the Water Industry Act 1991, under the Water Supply and Sewerage Services (Customer Service Standards) Regulations.
	Most companies' compensation payments and assistance to customers go beyond the statutory requirements. If, however, sewer flooding has been caused by severe weather (e.g. widespread flooding) then a payment is not due.

GM Crops

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the recent European Court of Justice ruling on GM crops.

Elliot Morley: The recent European Court of Justice ruling turned down an application by Austria for a derogation from Directive 2001/18/EC to declare the region of Upper Austria a GM-free zone. The court's ruling was based on the fact that the Austrian Government failed to prove that the region of Upper Austria had a unique ecosystem which might justify a specific local risk assessment. Under existing EU law, in order to declare a GM-free zone, that is a region where GM crops cannot be cultivated, a member state has to prove that there are special reasons to introduce national measures.
	Under current EU law, as agreed by EU member states, the only legitimate grounds for narrowing the geographical scope of an approval to prevent cultivation in a defined zone are the production of clear evidence that the GM crop involved poses a particular risk to the specific area in question. In the Austrian case, the European Court of Justice found that Austria had not demonstrated the existence of any such risks to the region of Upper Austria.

GM Crops

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government's latest recommendation is on field separation distances between GM and non-GM crops.

Elliot Morley: The separation distances between GM and non-GM crops used in the Farm Scale Evaluations were based on information from the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) in 2000. We have commissioned a further report from NIAB on separation distances to inform the proposals we are developing on the co-existence of GM and non-GM crops. We will issue a consultation paper on this in due course.

Greenhouse Gases

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the emissions of the Kyoto basket of gases will be between 2008 and 2012 if the trend in emissions of the last (a) five years, (b) four years, (c) three years, (d) two years and (e) one year continue; and whether the Kyoto target would be met under each projection.

Elliot Morley: The UK commitment under the Kyoto protocol is to reduce these emission by 12.5 per cent. below the base year level for the years of the commitment period (2008–12).
	The following table shows projected UK greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and percentage reductions during the commitment period obtained by assuming that the linear trend in emissions of the last (a) five years, (b) four years, (c) three years, (d) two years and (e) one year continue, based on the most recent published UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory data, which cover the period 1990 to 2003. The table indicates that the UK will exceed the reduction target in each projection except for case (e) where one year's difference in emissions is used to indicate the trend. Case (e) is the least robust projection as it is most susceptible to interannual variability due to fuel price relativities, external temperatures and other effects. On the basis of projections provided to the European Union in June, we expect to exceed the Kyoto commitment by about 8 percentage points, and the review of the UK Climate Change Programme currently is assessing the actions needed to put the UK back on course to meet our domestic target of achieving a 20 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010, which would further increase the safety margin.
	
		
			  Projections based on trend back  Average UK GHG emission 2008–12 (MtC) Reduction from Kyoto protocol base year emissions (percentage) 
		
		
			 (a) 5 years 163.5 -20.3 
			 (b) 4 years 176.1 -14.2 
			 (c) 3 years 176.5 -14.0 
			 (d) 2 years 164.9 -19.6 
			 (e) 1 year 190.9 -7.0

Literacy and Numeracy

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of new recruits to her Department do not have a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics.

Jim Knight: This information is not available. This is because Defra introduced a competence based recruitment and selection system in October 2003. Competences are individual abilities or characteristics that are key to effectiveness in work and do not rely on educational qualifications. New recruits to Defra to grades below the senior civil service will have demonstrated the particular skills and behaviours at the level required for the vacancy for which they applied. For specialist posts such as scientists, lawyers, vets and statisticians, candidates are also asked to provide further detail of their technical knowledge (including qualifications) and expertise for the posts.

Literacy and Numeracy

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for 0Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what methods of assessment of (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills are used as part of the recruitment process by employees of her Department.

Jim Knight: Since October 2003 Defra has operated competence based recruitment and selection processes. Competences are individual abilities or characteristics that are key to effectiveness in work. The aim is to obtain precise and verifiable information about when candidates have displayed the particular behaviours at the level required for the vacancy. This is achieved generally through a structured competence based application form and assessment through interview and, where appropriate, assessment centre exercises.

Non-food Crops

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many non-food crops are grown in England; and what the percentage produced of each sort was (a) by value and (b) by volume in 2004–05.

Elliot Morley: In 2004, at least 11 crops were grown in England for non-food and energy use. The contribution of each of these in terms of production area and value is shown in the following table. Our best estimate of n on-food crop production area in 2004 is approximately 115,000 hectares, 40 per cent. of this area was represented by non-food crop production on set-aside land.
	These figures do not necessarily give the whole picture: a number of crops can be used for either food or non-food uses; non-food crops may be grown on non set-aside land or not declared under any particular scheme; and part of the crop may be used as food while co-products are used as industrial raw materials or fuel.
	
		Estimated areas of non-food crops grown in England, tonnage of seed or biomass produced (tonnes) and estimate of total value (tonnage x £/tonne) in the 2004 cropping season
		
			 Crop Area (ha) Area (percentage) Tonnage (tonnes) Estimated total value(2) (£) Total value (percentage) 
		
		
			 Oilseed Rape 66,468 57.5 (3)(5508310004)199,197 27 million 56.8 
			 Linseed 32,000 27.7 (3)(5508310004)53,864 9.7 million 20.4 
			 High Erucic Acid Oilseed rape 8,430 7.3 (3)39,047 7.4 million 15.6 
			 Papaver Somniferum 1,978 1.7 (3)2,242 692,000 1.5 
			 Hemp 1,539 1.3 (3)8,464 931,000 2.0 
			 Flax 1,426 1.2 (3)2,139 53,000 0.1 
			 Short Rotation Coppice 1,729 1.5 (4)13,832 553,000 1.2 
			 Crambe 862 0.8 (3)758 136,000 0.3 
			 Miscanthus 333 0.3 (4)2,660 90,000 0.2 
			 Barley 456 0.4 (3)2,445 142,000 0.3 
			 Wheat 288 0.3 (3)2,036 118,000 0.2 
			 Essential Oil Crops 73 <0.1 (3)532 746,000 1.6 
			 Total 115,260 
		
	
	(2) Estimated values based on industry derived or estimated market values and tonnage data.
	(3) Declared tonnages by first processor in Defra payment schemes.
	(4) Estimated tonnages based on average yield—note that as oilseed rape and linseed are grown on both set-aside and main regime land, part of the tonnage is declared and part estimated. Much of the SRC and miscanthus would not have reached first harvest by 2004 and will therefore not have delivered the tonnage and value estimated.
	Notes:
	1. The data represents information collated through various Defra payment schemes. However, some crops for non-food use (eg essential oil crops) may be grown outside such schemes and out-with any arable support scheme, in addition some food crops may be diverted to non-food uses (eg wheat for starch). Accurate information on such crops and crop movements is not centrally collated. The data therefore represents an underestimate of the true non-food crop area and production statistics.
	2. Data presented for Short Rotation Coppice and Miscanthus areas represents information collated under the Energy Crops Scheme on planting grant applications and applications under the Woodland Grant Scheme.
	3. Data for non-food crops grown on set-aside and crops for energy grown on non-set-aside land in receipt of payments under the new Energy Aid Payment Scheme was derived from data collated by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). 32,927 ha of rape were grown on main regime land in 2004 for biodiesel production—this is included in the figures for oilseed rape in the table.
	4. Data for Linseed is derived from Defra Statistics for main regime land and the RPA for production on set-aside (999 ha).
	5. Data for flax and hemp areas and production is derived from declarations under the UK Flax and Hemp Fibre Regime.

Nuclear Plants (Coastal Erosion)

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made of the impact of coastal erosion on (a) each coastally-sited nuclear plant, (b) Sellafield and (c) the low level radioactive disposal site at Drigg.

Elliot Morley: Operational responsibility for managing the risk from coastal erosion in England rests with maritime district councils who, in partnership with the Environment Agency and other bodies with coastal defence responsibilities, take an integrated and long-term view of managing coastlines through Shoreline Management Plans. These plans, in line with Government policy, consider the implications of coastal processes, including erosion. More detailed coastal strategies are then developed, taking into account economic, social and environmental matters. These detailed strategies consider the specific needs of key coastal installations, such as nuclear power stations, Sellafield and the Low-level Waste Repository (LLWR) at Drigg.
	The safety of nuclear installations in the UK is regulated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which requires operators to produce safety cases which address a range of internal and external hazards, including flooding. Safety cases are periodically reviewed and updated to reflect changing conditions.
	HSE, the Environment Agency, maritime district councils and operators ensure, through consultation on the development of Shoreline Management Plans, that the plans do not compromise the needs of nuclear sites.
	The impact of coastal erosion on the LLWR has also been considered as part of a Post-Closure Safety Case for the site, submitted to the Environment Agency by British Nuclear Group Sellafield Limited (BNGSL) in September 2002. BNGSL's assessment predicts that the LLWR could be destroyed by coastal erosion in 500 to 5,000 years if no action were taken to maintain the coastline.
	The Environment Agency will shortly issue its decision on future regulation of the LLWR, and is proposing to require BNGSL to consider a number of options to reduce predicted impacts.

Poultry Numbers

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of poultry kept by individuals other than farmers; and what mechanisms are in place to enable advice to be made available to them.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 24 October 2005
	The number of poultry keepers is unknown. However the Government have put in place legislation to set up a register of poultry keepers and are proceeding to collect data from all those who keep 50 or more birds. The Government have used its website, information sent to all veterinary practices, information sent to stakeholder representative organisations to cascade to their members and advertisements placed in interest journals and media to distribute advice to all keepers including backyard keepers.

Recycling

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent progress she has made towards re-starting the collection and recycling of farm-use black plastic wrap; and if she will seek to legislate to introduce a statutory levy.

Ben Bradshaw: In December 2004, the Government issued a consultation paper on the Waste Management (England and Wales) Regulations, which will apply waste management controls to agricultural waste. Included in this consultation paper was a chapter proposing that a Producer Responsibility scheme should be introduced, under which the producers of non-packaging farm plastics, such as silage wrap and crop covers, would be obligated to pay for their collection and recovery or disposal. The main question posed was whether such a system should be voluntary or mandatory.
	I am now considering the way forward together with ministerial colleagues in light of the responses to the consultation.
	Packaging plastics are already covered by the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 (as amended). However, it is envisaged that any producer responsibility scheme that is introduced will be developed to enable the collection of both packaging and non-packaging waste plastics from farms.
	I have recently awarded the Agricultural Waste Stakeholders Forum (AWSF) £1 million of Business Resource Efficiency and Waste (BREW) funding to establish a programme of work to investigate the challenges of collecting and recycling farm plastics, including how best to collect packaging and non-packaging plastics together, and to identify potential solutions to the problems associated with the collection of this waste stream.

Recycling

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many tonnes of (a) paper and (b) other recyclable waste were recycled by the Department in 2004–05.

Jim Knight: During 2004–05, the most recent full year for which figures are available, Defra and its executive agencies recycled
	(a) 668.83 tonnes of paper, and
	(b) 274.27 tonnes of other recyclable waste.

Television Sets

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what date she plans to publish guidance for local authorities on the disposal of discarded television sets.

Ben Bradshaw: The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive aims to prevent WEEE arisings and to encourage reuse, recycling and recovery of WEEE. Article 6(1) and annex II of the directive introduce requirements for the treatment of collected items of WEEE to remove certain substances, preparations and components to avoid the dispersion of pollutants into the recycled material or waste stream. We intend to publish guidance on compliance with these requirements by those treating WEEE when regulations are made to transpose this provision.
	If local authorities register their civic amenity sites as designated collection facilities, producers will be responsible for the costs of treatment and recycling of separately collected WEEE, including televisions, from June 2006.
	In order to obtain better information on the potential hazardous nature of WEEE, Defra have commissioned a project to identify hazardous components in specified items of household WEEE. This project will assist Defra in drawing up guidance for local authorities, recyclers, treatment facilities and other interested parties to enable the identification of hazardous WEEE. Defra aim to publish guidance in spring 2006.
	The Environment Agency has published frequently asked questions (FAQs) on hazardous waste issues and guidance on the management of specific waste streams including cathode ray tubes, commonly found in televisions. This information is available on the Environment Agency's website at: www.environment-agency.gov.uk and the FAQs are also available on the Defra website www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/special/index.htm.

Warm Front Scheme

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many residents in the Hemel Hempstead constituency were (a) eligible for and (b) received grants under the warm front scheme in each of the last five years.

Elliot Morley: Information on the exact number of residents in Hemel Hempstead eligible for warm front is not available. However, on the basis of the statistical modelling used by the warm front scheme manager it is estimated that around 5,250 households in Hemel Hempstead could currently be eligible for assistance from the scheme.
	Between the launch of the warm front scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2005, the numbers of households assisted in each year in Hemel Hempstead constituency are as follows:
	
		
			  Number of households assisted 
		
		
			 2000–01 42 
			 2001–02 131 
			 2002–03 124 
			 2003–04 37 
			 2004–05 150 
			 Total 484

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Energy Consumption (Parliamentary Estate)

Norman Lamb: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how much energy has been consumed by the Parliamentary Estate in each of the last five years; and how much was spent on energy in each year.

Nick Harvey: The information is as follows:
	(a) The total energy consumption of the Parliamentary Estate in each of the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			  kWh 
		
		
			 2000–01 53,500,000 
			 2001–02 54,400,000 
			 2002–03 56,400,000 
			 2003–04 58,500,000 
			 2004–05 60,300,000 
		
	
	(b) Cash expenditure on energy in each of the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 2000–01 1,180 
			 2001–02 1,460 
			 2002–03 1,520 
			 2003–04 1,490 
			 2004–05 1,890 
		
	
	The figures do not include energy used in 7 Millbank which is paid through a service charge, and show cash spent without any accruals.

Fairtrade Products

Andrew Pelling: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many Fairtrade products are (a) used and (b) for sale in the House; and what plans there are to increase this number.

Nick Harvey: A total of eight products approved by the Fairtrade Foundation are sold in the House of Commons restaurants on a permanent basis, and another 10 are available from time to time. Of these, coffee, tea and bananas are used throughout the Refreshment Department, although the last named are not always available. The Department is considering changing to the use of Fairtrade approved sugar. Other products are introduced for sale in response to consumer demand or as a result of becoming aware of new products available on the market.

Flowers (Expenditure)

David Taylor: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the House's expenditure on flowers was in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Nick Harvey: Expenditure on flowers in the catering outlets was:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2000–01 7,497 
			 2001–02 8,378 
			 2002–03 8,081 
			 2003–04 9,457 
			 2004–05 11,513 
		
	
	Flowers are also displayed elsewhere in the House and used at functions. These had a net cost of £8,196 in 2004–05, giving total expenditure of £19,709 in that year. The financial systems do not in every respect separately identify the cost of flowers, so that identifying total expenditure figures for earlier years would involve disproportionate cost.

TREASURY

Civil Service Relocation

Ian Gibson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with local councils in Norwich on plans to relocate civil servants there; and how many jobs are involved.

Des Browne: As I stated in my answer on 1 November, 11 HM Treasury Group posts are planned to relocate to Norwich. Neither the Chancellor nor myself, as the Minister responsible for the relocation programme, have held discussions with local councils in Norwich on plans to relocate civil servants there. However, officials from the Office of Government Commerce, which is overseeing the implementation of the relocation programme, have attended relocation events hosted by Norwich City Council.

Expenditure/Revenue (Scotland)

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 12 July 2005, Official Report, column 889W, on expenditure and revenue in Scotland, what further information his Department would need to collect to produce a breakdown of aggregate (a) revenue and (b) borrowing by country and region.

Des Browne: Estimates of expenditure and revenue in Scotland are published by the Scottish Executive in Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland". The Treasury does not produce a breakdown of aggregate revenue and borrowing by country and region. The Scottish Executive's publication explains the methodological basis of the Scottish Executive research; that a wide range of indicators and assumptions were used; that regional budgetary accounts remain relatively undeveloped; and that there is no requirement for the compilation of UK regional budgetary accounts.

Forms (Duplication of Information)

Charles Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make changes to forms (a) V064, (b) V06003 and (c) V07012 in order to reduce duplication of required information; and what assessment he has made of the efficiency of these forms in their current format.

Ivan Lewis: The Valuation Office Agency keeps all its forms under review to take account of changes in the legislation and taxpayers' suggestions. The three forms concerned are thought to be fit for purpose.

Golden Rule

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce an independent monitoring system for the Golden Rule.

Des Browne: Progress against the golden rule is measured by the average annual surplus on the current budget as a percentage of GDP since the cycle began. The independent Office for National Statistics produces the public finance and national accounts statistics on which this measurement is based. These statistics are subject to the same safeguards and quality control procedures that apply to all statistics produced within the National Statistics framework. The Chancellor confirmed to the Treasury Committee on 19 July, the Comptroller and Auditor General has been invited to audit the end date of the previous economic cycle and give us his view as to whether the judgment is reasonable and cautious.
	Budget 2005 projections show that the Government will meet the golden rule in the current economic cycle. These projections will be updated in the forthcoming pre-Budget report.

Hemel Hempstead

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the average outstanding balance on mortgages for homes in (a) Hemel Hempstead constituency and (b) Hertfordshire; what the average month's interest payable on each of those balances would be at current interest rates; and what the average month's interest payable on each balance would have been (i) in May 1997 and (ii) immediately after the pound left the exchange rate mechanism in 1992.

Ivan Lewis: Data on mortgage balances outstanding is only available at a national level.

Pensions

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total amount is of unfunded pension liabilities from former nationalised industries.

Des Browne: Former nationalised industries did not generally participate in unfunded public service schemes, they usually used funded schemes. A small number of employees are believed to have been provided with unfunded pensions by their nationalised industry employer. Some industry employees became members of unfunded public service pension schemes at privatisation. Such pensions' liabilities as remain in the public sector cannot be separately identified (or could not be without disproportionate cost).

Pensions

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  pursuant to the announcement on public sector pensions of 18 October, at what rate he assumed current members of public sector pension schemes would be replaced by new employees in each decade for the purposes of estimating the revised cost of public sector pensions;
	(2)  what the evidential basis was for the estimate of (a) gross savings on the cost of public sector pensions of £26 billion and (b) net savings of £13 billion over the next 50 years announced by officials on 19 October.

Des Browne: The figures were calculated by scheme actuaries on the basis of the data and assumptions they use for each scheme. The following table indicates the staff turnover assumed across the pension schemes for teachers, the NHS and civil servants that were the subject of the agreement at the Public Services Forum on 18 October:
	
		Estimated proportion of the combined pensionable payroll relating to scheme members who join after April 2006
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 2006 0 
			 2013 33 
			 2018 50 
			 2023 64 
			 2028 77 
			 2033 86 
			 2038 93 
			 2043 97

Railtrack

George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the 10 conditions necessary for him to support the decision to transform Railtrack into a non-equity company limited by guarantee were.

Des Browne: Following the judgment in the Railtrack Private Shareholders' Action Group trial the Department for Transport has made available for public inspection a full set of the documents contained in the trial bundles. The trial bundles were compiled by the legal advisors to the Department and the claimants. Documents containing the conditions are included in the bundles.

Self-employment

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of self-employed (a) women and (b) men in the UK; and how many are aged 16 to 45 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. Philip Hollobone, dated 8 November 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the total number of self-employed people and those aged 16 to 45 years. (25949)
	The attached table provides available information showing the numbers of self-employed people aged 16 and over and those aged 16 to 45 by gender. The table covers the three month period ending in August 2005.
	These estimates from the Labour Force Survey are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.
	
		Self-employed (5) people in the United Kingdom by age and gender not seasonally adjusted
		
			 Thousand 
			 Three months ending August 2005 All persons Men Women 
		
		
			 All aged 16 and over 3,569 2,596 973 
			 of whom aged 16–45 1,810 1,304 506 
		
	
	(5) Self-employed is based on the respondents self classification.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

Stamp Duty

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much stamp duty from the purchase of residential property was collected from (a) Kettering constituency, (b) Northamptonshire and (c) England in each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: Estimates of stamp duty from purchases of residential property in England between 1997–98 and 2004–05 are given at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/stamp_duty/table15_2_october04.pdf. Information is not available at the parliamentary constituency or county level for these years.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what value of hardship payments were made to tax credit claimants suffering hardship where an overpayment had occurred in (a) 2003–04, (b) 2004–05 and (c) each month of 2005–06.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 14 October 2005
	For 2003–04 and 2004–05, I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 21 July 2005, Official Report, column 2035W.
	For 2005–06, it is no longer necessary for HM Revenue and Customs to issue manual payments in cases of hardship. Instead, a new process allows for an adjustment on the tax credits system to reduce the rate of recovery of an overpayment in-year.
	Information on the number of payments adjusted in this way is not currently available.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his policy automatically to write-off tax credit overpayments of £380 or less; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC's approach to handling overpayments is set out in its Code of Practice 26: What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?" published on the HMRC website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/credit.htm

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit claimants have been waiting (a) one month, (b) two months, (c) three months, (d) four months, (e) five months, (f) six months, (g) one year and (h) two years for backdated tax credit payments to be made.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not available.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons the IT system used by Revenue and Customs staff when dealing with hon. Members' queries through the MPs Tax Credit Hotline was unavailable on Friday 14 October.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 20 October 2005
	There was an isolated fault at the local telephone exchange which affected a number of workstations within the Tax Credit Office including the MP Hotline. Other areas of the Tax Credit Office were functioning normally.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the IT contract for the new tax credits has been agreed on a fixed negotiated price basis.

Dawn Primarolo: The tax credits IT system is delivered through an overarching IT services contract, known as Aspire. Within the terms of this contact there is a fixed price for maintaining live operational services.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 18 October 2005, Official Report, column 948W, on tax credits, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Customer Service Manual and Customer Contact Clarity of Writing: 2005–06 Guide.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department's Customer Service Manual is being reviewed. It sets out the customer service policy and good practice for face to face service staff. It will be replaced in due course by content on the Department's Face to Face service site. As some of the content has already been superceded by the Clarity of Writing or other guidance, the manual is not available as a single document.
	The Clarity of Writing guidance has been placed in the Library.

Tax Credits

Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much in overpaid tax credits has been remitted in full and then held by the Tax Credits Office for offsetting in each of the last three years; and what the running total is for the 2005–06 financial year.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not available.
	However, where HM Revenue and Customs agree to remit an overpayment of tax credits, amounts already recovered will be used to clear any known overpayment due for recovery. Any net underpayment will then be paid to the claimant.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many overpayments remain outstanding from 2003–04; and to what total value.

Dawn Primarolo: Information about the total value of overpayments from 2003–04 that remain outstanding as at 5 April 2005 can be derived from the Comptroller and Auditor General's Standard Report on the Accounts of the Inland Revenue 2004–05" This can be found at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/ir-report2005.pdf.

Tax Credits

George Mudie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the Parliamentary Ombudsman's recommendations in Tax Credits: Putting Things Right have been accepted; from what date they have operated; and how many (a) have been refused and (b) are under consideration.

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which of the recommendations made by the Parliamentary Ombudsman in her report of June 2005 on Tax Credits: Putting Things Right have been (a) accepted and (b) implemented; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 18 October 2005
	The Government's response to the Ombudsman's recommendations was set out in the Paymaster General's letter to her of 29 July (a copy of which is available on the Ombudsman's website). The Department has already acted on a number of those recommendations, including:
	Improved guidance and training for contact centre staff about interim payments and the availability of help in cases of hardship;
	Improvements in the tax credits award notice to help understanding of the reasons why overpayments may arise;
	Planned improvements in the presentation of information accompanying award notices to draw attention to hardship provisions.
	Other improvements are under consideration in the review of Code of Practice 26.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit overpayments were caused in 2003–04 when an error resulted in a child or children no longer being shown on the award notice.

Dawn Primarolo: Where a child or children are removed from a claim, whether or not as a result of an error, the effect would be to reduce payments and not generate an overpayment. It is therefore not possible to provide the information requested.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Accession State Worker Registration Scheme

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of time taken to process applications for a registration certificate under the Accession State Worker Registration Scheme was in the last period for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 26 October 2005
	For the period 1 April 2005 to 30 September 2005 the average number of days taken to process applications for a registration certificate under the Accession State Worker Registration Scheme is 13 days.

Asylum/Immigration

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness to date of the Dublin II Regulation of 2003 in reducing (a) asylum shopping and (b) the problem of refugees in orbit.

Tony McNulty: The European Commission has recently launched a comprehensive evaluation process to cover all aspects of the Dublin arrangements, including the operation of the secure electronic communications network for Dublin II requests (DubliNet") and the supporting Eurodac fingerprint database. The resulting report, expected in 2006, will analyse the impact of the Dublin arrangements to draw conclusions on the added value of Dublin II and the Eurodac Regulation EC No. 2725/2000.
	The second Annual Report to the Council and the European Parliament on the activities of the Eurodac Central Unit concluded that Eurodac represents an extremely important tool for a faster and more efficient application of the Dublin arrangements. The report also notes that Eurodac data provide a sound indicator of the phenomenon of asylum shopping" in member states. Copies of the report can be found in the Libraries. The Home Office's assessment of the report is set out in Explanatory Memorandum 10464/05 sent to the Parliamentary Scrutiny Committees on 14 September 2005.
	Our own assessment of the new Dublin arrangements, supported by Eurodac is favourable. Dublin II and Eurodac enabled us to return 1,982 applicants in 2004 to other European countries without considering their claims ourselves. This is far more effective than the gentleman's agreement which applied until 1997, under which fewer people were removed in a year than the Dublin arrangements have enabled us to remove in a month. While it is not possible to prove to what extent asylum shopping that would otherwise have happened is not happening as a result of the new arrangements, asylum intake across the EU15 has fallen by 21 per cent. between 2003 and 2004 (source IRSS).
	On the question of refugees in orbit, the Dublin II Regulation is based on a mechanism to identify the member state responsible for determining an asylum claim and provides guarantees that identified state will take charge of or take back an asylum seeker within prescribed time limits. In addition, unlike the old Dublin Convention, the regulation reflects the agreement that member states fully accept to take responsibility for an asylum applicant where a procedural time limit is breached. This ensures that asylum applicants do not face prolonged periods of uncertainty.

Asylum/Immigration

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of how the UK compares with other EU member states in terms of reception conditions for asylum seekers.

Tony McNulty: The Home Office commissioned research to compare the reception and accommodation policies for asylum seekers in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Germany in 2002–03. A summary of the report is due to be published as an online research findings publication in due course.
	The European Migration Network is currently in the process of producing a synthesis report of the reception systems that are in place for asylum seekers in the participating EU member states. The UK has provided information to inform this report which is due to be published early in 2006 by the European Commission.
	An EU directive laying down minimum standards for the reception of asylum seekers entered into force on 5 February 2005; all EU member states were required to bring their law and practice into line with the directive by this date. The European Commission is due to evaluate the implementation of this measure by 2007.

Asylum/Immigration

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress in negotiations on the draft EU asylum procedures directive.

Tony McNulty: In April 2004, the Justice and Home Affairs Council reached a general approach on the draft asylum procedures directive. In November 2004, the text was remitted to the European Parliament for re-consultation.
	The European Parliament delivered a further opinion on the draft directive in September 2005. The Council has now begun its consideration of the Parliament's report. Once this is complete, the Council will move towards final adoption of the directive.

Asylum/Immigration

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria were used in making the decision to maintain a non-cash or voucher system for providing support to asylum seekers who make section 4 declarations.

Tony McNulty: Support under section four is provided on a temporary basis to those who are in the process of leaving the country. It was always intended that support would take the form of accommodation and food and that there would be no access to cash. That is the position as set out in the legislation as approved by Parliament.

Asylum/Immigration

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many failed asylum seekers are in receipt of National Asylum Support Services section 4 support, broken down by (a) regional location, (b) accommodation provider and (c) type of accommodation and subsistence support provided.

Tony McNulty: National Asylum Support Services (NASS) management information confirms that on 24 October there were 7,355 people (excluding dependants) in receipt of section four support.
	A table showing the regional breakdown of those supported has been placed in the Library together with a list of accommodation providers who are providing section 4 accommodation to NASS. In the majority of cases support provided consists of accommodation and £35 per week in vouchers for each supported person to enable the purchase of food and other essential items. It is not possible, owing to the need to check individual records, to put a figure on the small number supported through full-board accommodation.
	List of accommodation providers providing section 4 accommodation to NASS
	Provider
	Accommodata Ltd.
	Angel Group
	Capital
	Caradon Estates Ltd.
	Clearsprings
	Gateshead Council
	M&Q
	RCA Sheffield
	Safehaven
	YMCA—Glasgow
	YMCA—London
	YMCA—Cornwall
	YMCA—Liverpool
	YMCA—Welwyn Garden City
	YMCA—West London
	
		Regional breakdown of numbers supported under section 4 as at 24 October 2005
		
			 Region (6)Number supported 
		
		
			 East Midlands 585 
			 East of England 45 
			 London 635 
			 North East 475 
			 North West 1,140 
			 Scotland 185 
			 South East 100 
			 South West 255 
			 Wales 300 
			 West Midlands 1,745 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 1,900 
			 Total 7,355 
		
	
	(6) all figures are provisional and have been rounded to the nearest 5. As such they may not sum due to rounding.

Asylum/Immigration

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for section 4 support were made to the National Asylum Support Service in each month since 1 January; and what the outcome was in each case.

Tony McNulty: The monthly breakdown of decisions made this year is set out in the table. A further 404 applications made in September and October still await a decision.
	
		Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999: Record of decisions made in 2005
		
			 Month Granted Refused 
		
		
			 January 2,663 289 
			 February 2,542 636 
			 March 1,008 582 
			 April 803 275 
			 May 660 304 
			 June 766 365 
			 July 782 303 
			 August 352 277 
			 September 244 84 
			 Total 9,620 3,115

Asylum/Immigration

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time taken by the National Asylum Support Service to determine an application for section 4 support was in the last period for which figures are available; what the target time is for determining such applications; and what the current performance against this target is.

Tony McNulty: The National Asylum Support Service's (NASS) target for deciding applications for support under section 4 is five working days which has routinely been met in the past year. However, a very significant increase in applications meant that NASS could no longer meet this target in all cases.
	Increased recruitment and training of staff has improved performance. NASS expects to routinely be meeting the five days target by the end of this calendar year. In the meantime, special arrangements have been made with the voluntary sector (who represent the great majority of section 4 applicants) to prioritise the very urgent cases. These cases, which typically comprise about 20 per cent. of the weekly intake, are being decided on the same day they are received or the day after.

Asylum/Immigration

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures have been put in place by each of the National Asylum Support Service section 4 accommodation providers to ensure that mothers with babies in receipt of section 4 vouchers exchangeable for food and drink are able to (a) obtain nappies and other essentials and (b) wash baby clothing.

Tony McNulty: Vouchers can generally be used to buy nappies and other toiletries at both supermarkets and other retail outlets. Where this is not the case the National Asylum Support Service works with its accommodation providers to supply the items direct to the supported person. The National Asylum Support Service requires that appropriate facilities to wash clothes must be provided in all properties used to house those supported under section 4.

Asylum/Immigration

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been convicted and imprisoned for not possessing, without reasonable excuse, a valid document showing their identity and nationality when first interviewed by an immigration officer after arriving in the UK under section 2 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc) Act 2004 since the Act came into force; how many asylum seekers have been convicted of attempting to leave the country with invalid documents in the same period; and how many in each category have been held in HMP Lewes in the corresponding period.

Tony McNulty: According to locally collated management information, which may be subject to change, there have been 350 convictions under section 2 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc) Act 2004 since it came into force on 22 September 2004 until 20 October 2005.
	Statistics on asylum seekers convicted of attempting to leave the UK with invalid documents could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Statistics on how many persons convicted in each category have been detained at HMP Lewes could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Asylum/Immigration

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of time was that a failed asylum seeker was held in a detention centre prior to deportation or removal from the UK in (a) 2002–03, (b) 2003–04 and (c) 2004–05; what the average length of time has been since April; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Information on the average length of time that a failed asylum seeker was held in a detention centre prior to deportation or removal from the UK is not available. It would only be available by examination of individual case files at disproportionate cost.
	Quarterly snapshots are published showing the number of people detained solely under Immigration Act powers on the last Saturday of each quarter and these can be broken down by length of detention. This information may be found in the Quarterly Asylum statistics publications on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics website at: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html

Asylum/Immigration

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average number of times was that a failed asylum-seeker was transferred between detention centres in the UK prior to removal or deportation from the UK in the last period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The information is not available in the form requested.

Asylum/Immigration

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the Department spent on transferring failed asylum seekers between detention centres in the UK in (a) 2004–05, (b) 2003–04 and (c) 2002–03; how much it has spent since April; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The information is not available in the form requested

Asylum/Immigration

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of asylum support was at (a) 1 January, (b) 1 February, (c) 1 March, (d) 1 April, (e) 1 May, (f) 1 June, (g) 1 July, (h) 1 August, (i) 1 September and (j) 1 October; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Audited costs for the provision of support to asylum seekers for the period in question are not yet available. Information relating to costs for the financial year 2004–05 will be published on the immigration and nationality directorate (IND) website once the audit of that year's costs has been completed. Information for 2005–06 will be published as soon as possible after the end of the financial year. Information for the financial years 1996–97 to 2003–04 was given in answer to a question from the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 442W and is also published on the IND website.

Asylum/Immigration

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of accommodating asylum seekers has been in each year since 1997.

Andy Burnham: The information is not available in the precise format requested. Before 3 April 2000 asylum seekers were supported under either the ad hoc arrangements administered by the Department for Work and Pensions or by local authorities.
	Asylum seekers supported under income support arrangements were eligible to receive housing benefit to meet the costs of their accommodation. I have placed a table showing the amounts paid in housing benefit from 1996–97—1999–2000 in the Library.
	Between 1996–97 and 1999–2000 the Department of Health was responsible for paying grant to local authorities supporting asylum seekers. Details of the total amounts paid to local authorities were provided on 9 May 2000, Official Report, columns 330–31W in answer to a question from the hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans). Part of this grant would have included an element to meet the costs of accommodation but it is not possible to identify the actual amounts.
	Since 3 April 2000 the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) has been responsible for the budget for asylum support. I have placed in the Library information on the costs of providing accommodation to asylum seekers supported directly by NASS for the years 2000–01—2003–04. Information for 2004–05 will be published on the Immigration and Nationality Directorate website, www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible after the expenditure for that year has been audited.
	Local authorities retain responsibility for providing support to some asylum seekers who made their claim for asylum before the NASS administered support arrangements took effect in their areas. The Home Office is responsible for paying grants to local authorities to meet their direct costs of providing support. Annual payments to local authorities by NASS from 1999–2000 can be found at: http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ind/en/home/applying/national_asylum_support/stakeholders/finance.html
	Part of this grant would have included an element to meet the costs of accommodation but it is not possible to identify the actual amounts.
	
		Expenditure by NASS on accommodation for asylum seekers: for the period 2001–01—2003–04
		
			 £ million 
			 Financial year Expenditure on dispersal accommodation Expenditure on emergency (initial) accommodation Total expenditure 
		
		
			 2000–01 115 (7)— 115 
			 2001–02 247 (7)— 247 
			 2002–03 319 107 426 
			 2003–04 343 96 439 
		
	
	(7) Not available.
	
		Expenditure on housing benefit paid to asylum seekers1996–97—1999–2000
		
			 £ million 
			 Financial year Expenditure 
		
		
			 1996–97 195 
			 1997–98 145 
			 1998–99 125 
			 1999–2000 135

Asylum/Immigration

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government is taking to prevent abuse of the benefits system by asylum seekers.

Andy Burnham: Asylum seekers are not eligible to receive mainstream benefits. Eligible asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute may be provided with support (accommodation and/or financial assistance) by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS). Financial support payments are made via the application registration card (ARC), a biometric smartcard that contains photographic identification and details unique to individual asylum seekers. Accommodation providers under contract to NASS are required, as part of their contract, to visit addresses at regular intervals to confirm the supported asylum seeker is living at the address.

Asylum/Immigration

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Somalian asylum seekers tried to enter the UK in each year from 1997; how many have been allowed to stay; and how many have been deported.

Andy Burnham: Information is not available on how many Somalis try to enter the UK each year who would, if successful, subsequently apply for asylum, and such information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Applications for asylum in the UK can only be made from within the UK.
	Information on the number of asylum applications made by Somali nationals, initial decisions and appeals outcomes, and asylum removals is published quarterly and annually in the regular asylum statistics, copies of which are available from the Library and on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html

Asylum/Immigration

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are undertaken before the decision is made to detain failed asylum seekers, with particular reference to (a) pre-notification and (b) the use of other detention methods.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 7 November 2005
	Throughout the process and before any removal decision is taken, the person is notified in writing, and has explained verbally, his immigration status and liability to detention and bail rights. If detained he will also be informed of the reasons for detention.
	Alternatives to detention, e.g. setting reporting restrictions, must be considered before any detention is authorised. In all cases detention must be used sparingly, and for the shortest period necessary.

Border Control

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the merits of introducing a UK border control police force.

Tony McNulty: The Government has no plans at present to create a single border control police force or agency.
	The White Paper One Step Ahead—A 21st Century Strategy to Defeat Organise Crime" tasked Customs, the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) and the police to work together to develop options for providing more effective border controls through enhanced inter-agency co-operation.
	Noting the distinct and essential responsibilities of each of the three principal border agencies, the White Paper indicated that there were no plans to create a single border agency.
	Nevertheless the White Paper pointed to much closer working between the border agencies. There is already considerable successful integrated working at both a local and national level between the border agencies.
	With this in view, the Border Management Programme has been established to take this forward. It will provide more effective working between the agencies in order to maximise border security while minimising the impact on legitimate traffic.
	In support of this closer working, the e-Borders programme will deliver a fully integrated border control system fit for the 21st century. It will develop a means of capturing and sharing relevant passenger information through compatible systems across Government providing a comprehensive secure system for all the agencies working together at the border.

Border Control

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government plan to introduce a UK border control police force.

Tony McNulty: The Government have no current plans to create a single border control police force or agency.
	There is already considerable successful integrated working at both a local and national level between the border agencies.
	The White Paper One Step Ahead—A 21st Century Strategy to Defeat Organise Crime" in March 2003, tasked customs, IND and the police to work together to develop options for providing more effective border controls through enhanced inter-agency co-operation.
	The Border Management programme has been established to take this forward. It will provide more effective working between the agencies in order to maximise border security while minimising the impact on legitimate traffic.
	In support of this, the e-Borders programme will deliver a fully integrated border control system fit for the 21st century. It will develop a means of capturing and sharing relevant passenger information through compatible systems across Government providing a comprehensive secure system for all the agencies working together at the border.

Criminal Injuries Compensation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average processing time has been of an application for compensation under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2001 in each year of its operation.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority advise that median number of days elapsed between receipt of the application and the issue of the decision at the Claims Assessment Stage for applications made under the 2001 Scheme for the years 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04 and 2004–05 was 156 days, 221 days, 238 days and 258 days respectively.

Domestic Violence

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what minimum statutory level of (a) funding and (b) other support local authorities are required to provide for victims of domestic violence; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: There is no set minimum statutory level of funding that local authorities are required to provide for victims of domestic violence.
	However, as part of the new three-year Local Area Agreement initiative between central Government and local government, funding to deliver local priorities will be available. Local partnerships will be responsible for identifying the need for addressing domestic violence as a local priority for improvement to enable them to prioritise their spending. The agreements are based on outcomes, indicators and targets aimed at delivering a better quality of life for people through improving performance on a range of national and local priorities.
	In April 2005, the revised Best Value Performance Indicator BV225 was implemented. The indicator covers a range of activities that local authorities need to undertake to successfully address the problem of domestic violence. Its purpose is to assess the overall provision and effectiveness of local authority services designed to prevent and support victims of domestic violence.

European Return Fund

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress with discussions in the European Council on the minimum standards for return procedures and mechanisms for supporting removal efforts with a European Return Fund to be established by 2007.

Tony McNulty: On 1 September 2005, the European Commission issued a proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and the Council on common standards and procedures in member states for returning illegally staying third country nationals (COM (2005) 391 final). The Commission has presented this proposal and there has been a first exchange of views. The first formal reading of the proposal in the Council will commence in November.
	On 3 May 2005, the Commission issued a proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and Council establishing the European Return Fund for the period 2008–13 as part of the General Management Programme Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows". The first reading of the proposal in the Council commenced in September. The first reading of provisions that are specific to the Return Fund is expected to be concluded in November. The first reading of those provisions that are common to the four instruments within the General Management Programme is expected to continue into the next presidency of the EU.

Identity Cards

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the maximum allowable cost for the stand-alone identity card.

Tony McNulty: The figure for an affordable charge for a stand-alone identity card has been arrived at following careful scrutiny of the costs of the Identity Cards Scheme over the summer by the Home Office, in full consultation with Treasury and other Government Departments.

Identity Cards

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total planned budget is for the consultation, trialling and roll out of the Identity Card Scheme.

Tony McNulty: The current best estimate for the total average annual running costs for issuing passports and ID cards to UK nationals is £584 million.
	The Home Department is not breaking this cost down further because this information is commercially sensitive and discussion of estimated costs may prejudice the procurement process by limiting the Department's ability to secure value for money from the market.

Identity Cards

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the cap on the fee to be charged for the stand-alone identity card.

Tony McNulty: It will be affordable within current Home Office spending plans to set a charge of £30 at current prices for a stand-alone identity card which is valid for 10 years.

Identity Cards

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will lay before the House detailed proposals on the charging regime for identity cards, in line with the commitment given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, before the Identity Cards Bill completes Third Reading in the House.

Tony McNulty: Details of an affordable charge for a stand-alone identity card have already been released, in line with the commitment given by the Home Secretary in June. Decisions regarding the detailed charging strategy have not yet been made. As the Home Secretary stated in June, the actual charges will be determined at the time of introduction of the scheme.
	Additionally, the Identity Cards Bill was recently amended by the Government so that Clause 37(7) of the Bill allows for an affirmative resolution procedure to take place the first time a resolution is laid before Parliament setting the charge for identity cards. This will give Parliament greater scope for debate when this occurs.
	The actual amount charged to a person will depend on future policy decisions on charging within the scope allowed by the Identity Cards Bill. Issues which the Government wishes to explore further on charging include:
	refining estimates of revenues for the verification service as potential users develop more detailed plans for how they will use the scheme;
	whether and to what extent offering cards at lower cost, for example to people on low incomes, may be possible;
	cost estimates for some components of the scheme may change once the Home Office engages formally with suppliers as part of the procurement process.

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department's cost-benefit analysis of the identity cards scheme includes estimates for the benefits which are defined in paragraph 25 of the Regulatory Impact Assessment of 25 May as not yet quantified completely.

Tony McNulty: The cost-benefit analysis of the identify cards scheme does include initial estimates for some of the benefits previously defined as not yet quantified completely in paragraph 25 of the Regulatory Impact Assessment of 25 May. Further analysis is under way to refine these estimates.

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the graph on page 11 of his Department's document, Identity Cards Scheme—Benefits Overview" with dates on the time axis; and if he will publish the supporting evidence for the figures given in the graph.

Tony McNulty: The date line to the graph on page 11 of the benefits summary document has been deliberately left out, as we are not in a position to know when Royal Assent is likely to be given to the Bill. This date will obviously influence the start date of the project and the timing of any benefits being realised.
	The graph as it stands is flexible, as it represents annual movements in the benefits accrual. Therefore a reader of the graph could predict any start date for identity cards roll out, and then understand from the graph the progression of benefit accrual from that date.
	The underlying analysis for this graph contains detail that currently could be prejudicial to the future procurement of the identity card scheme, which is driven by Royal Assent being granted.

Identity Cards

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his most recent estimate is of the (a) set-up costs, (b) annual running costs and (c) cost per card of the identity card scheme.

Tony McNulty: The current best estimate for the total average running costs for issuing passports and ID cards to UK nationals is £584 million per annum.
	The Home Office is not breaking this cost down further, nor publishing details of set-up costs, because this information is commercially sensitive and discussion of more detailed estimated costs may prejudice the procurement process by limiting the Department's ability to secure value for money from the market.
	The current best estimate for the average unit cost of the combined passport and ID card package is £93. In addition, it will be affordable to set a charge of £30 at current prices for a standalone ID card which is valid for 10 years.

Identity Cards

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of the Identity Card Scheme has been to date.

Tony McNulty: The Government announced its intention to introduce legislation for an identity cards scheme in November 2003, following a six month consultation exercise. In preparation £28.66 million has been spent between the start of the 2003 financial year and the end of September 2005.

Identity Cards

Dawn Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what provisions have been made for (a) lone parents, (b) low income families, (c) the unemployed, (d) children and (e) students in relation to the proposed cost of identity cards;
	(2)  what assistance will be provided for people that cannot afford the proposed £30 identity card fee.

Tony McNulty: It will be affordable within current Home Office spending plans to set a charge of £30 at current prices for a standalone identity card which is valid for 10 years. Further decisions have yet to be made on the detailed charging strategy to be in place before introduction of the identity cards scheme.

Immigration

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if he will list the employment sectors in which the use of immigrant labour is filling long-term vacancies;
	(2)  if he will list the sectors of employment in which the use of immigrant labour is reducing skills shortages.

Tony McNulty: Most non-EEA nationals coming to the UK for skilled employment require a work permit. Work permits can be issued in any sector as long as the occupation is on the shortage list or the role meets the requirements of the resident labour market test. In 2004, the top sectors for which work permits were issued were: health and medical services; computer services; hospitality and catering; administration, business and management services; education and cultural activities; financial services; entertainment and leisure services; manufacturing; retail and related services.

Immigration

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library monthly reports on the number of people detained under immigration law.

Tony McNulty: The Home Office currently publishes a quarterly snapshot of people held under Immigration Act powers on the last Saturday of every quarter. This is available from the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Managed Migration Routes

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete the review of managed migration routes, with particular reference to the rules on ancestry.

Tony McNulty: Following a statement to Parliament by the Home Secretary on 22 April 2004, the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) are reviewing a number of managed migration routes to enter and remain in the United Kingdom. This review is ongoing across all managed migration routes. As a result, IND are unable to process some applications for leave to remain through the ancestry route at present. We will resume consideration of these applications as soon as possible.

Passport Return

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the immigration and nationality directorate will return the passports of the W. family of Aylesbury (case reference: W1004856; B23701/5).

Tony McNulty: holding answer 31 October 2005
	The immigration and nationality directorate has not yet been able to locate the passports. A letter explaining that the passports could not be found was sent to the hon. Member's constituents on 24 October, together with a letter which may assist the family in obtaining new passports from their national authority.

Passport Return

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time taken after the determination of a case for his Department to return passports and other personal documents to successful applicants for leave to remain in the United Kingdom was in the last period for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 31 October 2005
	General Group, who handle leave to remain applications, make every attempt to despatch passports and personal documents with the decision letter back to the applicant as soon as practicable after the determination of a case. General Group continually strive to meet published service standards for both charged and non-charge leave to remain applications.
	This information is published on the immigration and nationality directorate website at www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk.

Police

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces have selected one of their basic command units to implement and champion neighbourhood policing; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Each of the 43 police forces in England and Wales has selected a pathfinder basic command unit (BCD) to implement and develop neighbourhood policing. This is in addition to other BCUs in police forces that have also adopted a neighbourhood policing approach.

Police

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the expansion of the shoot-to-kill policy does not lead to an increase in mistaken killings by the police.

Hazel Blears: All police use of firearms is subject to the law on the use of force. In particular, the Criminal Law Act 1967 provides that the police may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances to effect an arrest or to prevent crime. It is for the individual officer to justify their actions, if necessary in court.

Prisons

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convicted prisoners there were in each prison in England and Wales in the most recent period for which figures are available; and in which parliamentary constituency each prison is located.

Fiona Mactaggart: The information requested, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system, is provided in the table.
	
		Sentenced prison population, by prison establishment and parliamentary constituency
		
			 England and Wales, 30 September 2005 
			 Constituency Establishment Population 
		
		
			 Arundel and South Downs Ford 533 
			 Aylesbury Aylesbury 429 
			 Banbury Bullingdon 718 
			 Bedford Bedford 288 
			 Berwick-upon-Tweed Acklington 872 
			 Berwick-upon-Tweed Castington 261 
			 Birmingham Ladywood Birmingham 847 
			 Bishop Auckland Deerbolt 322 
			 Blaby Glen Parva 578 
			 Boston and Skegness North Sea Camp 270 
			 Bridgend Parc 952 
			 Bristol,West Bristol 339 
			 Bromsgrove Blakenhurst 644 
			 Bromsgrove Brockhill 63 
			 Bromsgrove Hewell Grange 157 
			 Buckingham Grendon/Spring Hill 548 
			 Burton Dovegate 790 
			 Cambridgeshire, North East Whitemoor 440 
			 Canterbury Canterbury 305 
			 Cardiff, Central Cardiff 519 
			 Chelmsford, West Chelmsford 312 
			 Chorley Garth 631 
			 Chorley Wymott 1,040 
			 City of Durham Durham 433 
			 City of Durham Frankland 694 
			 City of Durham Low Newton 192 
			 Copeland Haverigg 566 
			 Daventry Onley 495 
			 Derbyshire, South Foston Hall 196 
			 Derbyshire, West Sudbury 562 
			 Devizes Erlestoke 424 
			 Devon West and Torridge Dartmoor 616 
			 Don Valley Lindholme 707 
			 Don Valley Moorland Open 247 
			 Don Valley Moorland 776 
			 Doncaster, Central Doncaster 732 
			 Dorset, North Guys Marsh 565 
			 Dorset, South Portland 388 
			 Dorset, South The Verne 584 
			 Dorset, West Dorchester 120 
			 Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush Wormwood Scrubs 738 
			 Eccles Forest Bank 653 
			 Elmet Wealstun 794 
			 Elmet Wetherby 291 
			 Erith and Thamesmead Belmarsh 467 
			 Exeter Exeter 302 
			 Faversham and Kent Mid East Sutton Park 98 
			 Feltham and Heston Feltham 153 
			 Fylde Kirkham 497 
			 Gloucester Gloucester 169 
			 Haltemprice and Howden Everthorpe 630 
			 Haltemprice and Howden The Wolds 296 
			 Harborough Gartree 489 
			 Henley Huntercombe 359 
			 Hertfordshire and South West The Mount 702 
			 Hull, East Hull 678 
			 Huntingdon Littlehey 696 
			 Isle of Wight Albany 528 
			 Isle of Wight Camp Hill 590 
			 Isle of Wight Parkhurst 493 
			 Islington, North Holloway 203 
			 Islington South and Finsbury Pentonville 417 
			 Lancaster and Wyre Lancaster 240 
			 Lancaster and Wyre Lancaster Farms 392 
			 Leeds, West Leeds 908 
			 Leicester, South Leicester 158 
			 Leigh Hindley 380 
			 Lewes Lewes 317 
			 Lincoln Lincoln 318 
			 Liverpool Walton Altcourse 719 
			 Liverpool Walton Liverpool 1,093 
			 Maidstone and the Weald Maidstone 548 
			 Manchester Blackley Manchester 881 
			 Medway Cookham Wood 181 
			 Medway Rochester 384 
			 Milton Keynes, South West Woodhill 412 
			 Mole Valley Send 215 
			 Monmouth Usk/Prescoed 416 
			 Newark Ranby 1,012 
			 Norfolk, South West Wayland 700 
			 Northavon Ashfield 270 
			 Northavon Eastwood Park 176 
			 Northavon Leyhill 457 
			 Norwich, North Norwich 539 
			 Nottingham, East Nottingham 268 
			 Peterborough Peterborough 579 
			 Portsmouth, South Kingston 192 
			 Preston Preston 336 
			 Rayleigh Bullwood Hall 145 
			 Reading, East Reading 192 
			 Reigate Downview 235 
			 Reigate Highdown 413 
			 Richmond Northallerton 205 
			 Richmond Park Latchmere House 205 
			 Rochdale Buckley Hall 191 
			 Rugby and Kenilworth Rye Hill 592 
			 Rushcliffe Whatton 357 
			 Rutland and Melton Ashwell 539 
			 Rutland and Melton Stocken 609 
			 Selby Askham Grange 111 
			 Sherwood Lowdham Grange 522 
			 Shrewsbury and Atcham Shrewsbury 182 
			 Shropshire, North Stoke Heath 615 
			 Sittingbourne and Sheppey Elmley 596 
			 Sittingbourne and Sheppey Standford Hill 465 
			 Sittingbourne and Sheppey Swaleside 768 
			 Sleaford and North Hykeham Morton Hall 254 
			 Spelthorne Bronzefield 200 
			 Stafford Stafford 670 
			 Staffordshire Moorlands Werrington 143 
			 Staffordshire, South Brinsford 224 
			 Staffordshire, South Featherstone 606 
			 Stockton, North Holme House 771 
			 Stockton, South Kirklevington Grange 220 
			 Stone Drake Hall 289 
			 Streatham Brixton 381 
			 Suffolk, Coastal Hollesley Bay 283 
			 Suffolk, Coastal Warren Hill 171 
			 Suffolk, West Edmunds Hill 219 
			 Suffolk, West Highpoint 811 
			 Surrey Heath Coldingley 384 
			 Swansea, West Swansea 311 
			 Tamworth Swinfen Hall 603 
			 Tatton Styal 281 
			 Tooting Wandsworth 855 
			 Totnes Channings Wood 659 
			 Tunbridge Wells Blantyre House 121 
			 Wakefield New Hall 272 
			 Wakefield Wakefield 562 
			 Warrington, North Risley 1,069 
			 Warrington, North Thorn Cross 219 
			 Waveney Blundeston 458 
			 Wellingborough Wellingborough 577 
			 Wells Shepton Mallet 183 
			 Winchester Winchester 446 
			 Worcestershire Mid Long Lartin 425 
			 Yorkshire East Full Sutton 582 
			 Total  62,680

Proceeds of Crime Act

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the timetable is for introducing Orders in Council under Part Eleven of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 3 November 2005
	The Order for co-operation between the United Kingdom jurisdictions was introduced in 2002 (S.I. 2002/3133). The Government intend to lay the Order to enable international co-operation in the freezing and confiscation of the proceeds of crime in the next few weeks, with a view to having the legislation in place by the end of the year. The Order to facilitate international co-operation in financial investigations will follow in the new year.

Protection Programmes

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress with pilot protection programmes outside the EU which are due to be launched by the end of 2005.

Tony McNulty: On 12 October 2005, the Justice and Home Affairs Council endorsed draft council conclusions, to be formally adopted at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 7 November 2005, which support the European Commission's proposals for pilot regional protection programmes in the western newly independent states (Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus) and sub-Saharan Africa (in particular the Great Lakes/East Africa). The conclusions invite the Commission to inform the Council of detailed programmes for the implementation of these proposed pilots by the end of November 2005.

Readmission Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the readmission agreements with third countries to be signed by the EU.

Tony McNulty: As the current EU presidency, the UK attaches a high priority to the conclusion of readmission negotiations between the EU and international partner countries. Negotiations with Russia were finalised in time for the EU-Russia summit on 4 October. We intend to support the European Commission to make substantial progress in the negotiation of other agreements.

Refugees

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the 10 countries from which most refugees originated in 2004.

Tony McNulty: Information on grants of asylum at initial decision is published quarterly and annually. The information requested is published in the annual bulletin Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 2004. Copies are available from the Library of the House and on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Refugees

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on EU co-operation with third countries in order to manage and reduce the intake of refugees into the EU.

Tony McNulty: The Hague multi-annual programme, which was endorsed by the European Council on 4 and 5 November 2004, sets out the EU's work plan for strengthening the area of freedom, security and justice over the next five years and includes an EU strategy on the external dimension of asylum and migration. This covers co-operation with third countries in managing migration and asylum; development of EU regional protection programmes and the intensified co-operation with countries of transit to enable these countries to better manage migration and to provide adequate protection for refugees. The UK strongly supports work in this area and has taken it forward as a matter of priority under its presidency of the EU.

Schlumberger Sema Ltd.

Mark Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the minutes of meetings between his Officials and Schlumberger Sema Ltd.

Tony McNulty: The majority of meetings between departmental Officials and Schlumberger Sema Ltd. (SS) have been within its relationships between the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND).
	IND meetings took place in the context of three separate commercial relationships:
	support and development of the ASYS IT system;
	programme support and training services for the casework information database (CID) system redevelopment; and
	as a short listed (and eventually successful) bidder for the IND Procurement of Infrastructure and Development Services (IPIDS) contract for the outsourcing of IND's major IT services.
	Other meetings also took place between Home Office (Centre) and Schlumberger Sema Ltd. (SS) in respect of the HOITS (Home Office IT Services) contract; from the formation of SS in 2001 through to the end of the HOITS contract on 31 March 2002 and then for a further short-term contract of a few months for support of the RDS and IND INDECS mainframe services until these were absorbed into the Sirius IT2000 agreement.
	The engagement between IND and Schlumberger Sema Ltd. (SS) resulted in significant quantities of recorded minutes, covering all aspects of the working relationships.
	Consideration could be given to making minutes of meetings or action plans available to address a specific query, subject to commercial confidentiality or disproportionate cost.

Sex Offenders

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reciprocal arrangements exist between the UK and (a) Northern and (b) Southern Cyprus on the exchange of information regarding the travel of those who have committed sex offences; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The UK does not recognise Northern Cyprus. There are no formal arrangements in place to directly exchange information on those who have committed sexual offences.
	No reciprocal measures exist between the UK and the Republic of Cyprus (southern Cyprus). However, in the UK, offenders who are subject to the notification requirements of Part two of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (which are often known as the sex offenders register) must notify the police of any intention to travel overseas for a period of three days or more. When an offender notifies his intention to travel overseas the local police force will make a judgment as to whether, in their opinion, the authorities in the country concerned should be informed that the offender is travelling. If they decide that they should, then this information is passed to the National Criminal Intelligence Service who will then inform the destination country if there are reasonable grounds for believing that the offender will present a risk of offending within that community. The Republic of Cyprus does not have a similar requirement on offenders and so they would not routinely know if an offender was planning to travel, and would not be able to inform the UK.
	The UK or the Republic of Cyprus may also request criminal record information on a national of the other state under the terms of the 1959 Council of Europe Mutual Legal Assistance Convention and the EU Council Decision on the exchange of information on extracted from the criminal record.

Tasar Stun Guns

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the Metropolitan police has (a) deployed and (b) used Tasar stun guns in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Commissioner for the Metropolitan police has provided the information in the table.
	
		Metropolitan police—Deployment of Taser
		
			 Number 
			  Deployed Fired 
		
		
			 October 2004 213 2 
			 November 2004 168 1 
			 December 2004 174 2 
			 January 2005 148 1 
			 February 2005 157 2 
			 March 2005 176 2 
			 April 2005 241 4 
			 May 2005 262 5 
			 June 2005 264 2 
			 July 2005 301 3 
			 August 2005 268 2 
			 September 2005 273 2 
			 October 2005 (8)45 0 
		
	
	(8) up to 7 October

TOGETHER Action Line

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many calls have been received by the TOGETHER ActionLine in each month since its inception; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The total number of inquiries received by the TOGETHER ActionLine since its inception in February 2004 to September 2005 is 13,845. 11,878 phone calls were received and 1,967 e-mails.
	The overall monthly average number of inquiries including calls and e-mails is 694.
	The TOGETHER ActionLine is a separate service which provides help and advice to practitioners to improve their response to antisocial behaviour. The ActionLine, complimented by the TOGETHER website helps practitioners to become confident in using the powers available to them and gives them access to innovative and creative solutions and enables them to network and share knowledge and successes.

Visas

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the take-up of visas under the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 7 November 2005
	The Scottish Executive is monitoring and evaluating the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme and we are discussing with them how and when information on the scheme will be published.
	As set out in the published policy, the Home Office are passing details of all those who have been granted leave under the scheme to the Scottish Executive. This is to enable them to contact participants at regular intervals.
	The table shows the number of participants in the scheme so far, broken down by those who applied from overseas and those who applied from within the UK. This data is based on internal Management Information and is provisional and subject to change.
	
		
			  Entry clearance(9) In country 
		
		
			 l 25 75 
			 August 30 100 
			 September 20 120 
			 October 30 190 
			 Total 100 485 
		
	
	(9) UKvisas makes every effort to ensure that statistics produced from our Central Reference System" are accurate. However, the complexity of our global business, including technical failures or occasional inconsistencies in data entry across any of over 150 offices, means we cannot 100 per cent. guarantee accuracy. UKvisas continues to work on IT and working practices to improve the quality of the statistics we provide.
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.

Young Offenders

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 12 October 2005, Official Report, column 496W, how many of the young people supervised by youth offending teams in 2004–05 that had a substance misuse need have received an intervention or treatment, broken down by type of intervention made.

Fiona Mactaggart: The following table for 2004–05 gives a breakdown of the level of need, intervention and treatment received within 10 working days of the assessment. (Joint Youth Justice Board/National Treatment Agency performance indicator.) Of the 11,551 who were assessed as needing a Tier two, three or four intervention, 10,645 (92 per cent.) accessed an intervention or treatment service within 10 days of the assessment.
	Data monitoring for 2005–06 has been improved to include the numbers of young people who accessed a service more than 10 days after assessment.
	
		
			Intervention or treatment Service provided—Tier description Numbers of young people assessed with need Those who received an intervention or treatment within 10 days of being assessed Percentage 
		
		
			 Tier 2 Practitioners with some drug and alcohol experience and youth specialist knowledge 8,224 7,672 93.3 
			 Tier 3 Young people's specialist drug services and other specialised services that work with complex cases requiring multi-disciplinary, team-based work 3,155 2,826 89.6 
			 Tier 4 Services providing very specialist medical forms of intervention for young drug misusers with complex care needs 172 147 85.5 
			 Total  11,551 10,645 92.2 
		
	
	(10) Taken from the Youth Justice Board's Key elements of effective practice manual on Substance Misuse.

Zimbabwe

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he has in place for Zimbabweans in Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries to apply for asylum.

Andy Burnham: The immigration rules require a person to be in the United Kingdom or at a port of entry in order to claim asylum here. Under our published asylum policy instruction on Applications from Abroad, IND may consider exceptionally outside the rules a claim for asylum made abroad if certain strict criteria are met.
	A person cannot be a refugee for the purposes of the 1951 Refugee Convention while in their country of origin, so it would only be in truly exceptional circumstances that the UK would consider an asylum claim from a person within their own country.
	The policy applies to Zimbabwean nationals on the same basis as it applies to others.

Zimbabwe

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the deportation to Zimbabwe of asylum seekers.

Tony McNulty: On 5–7 October 2005 the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal considered the appeal of a Zimbabwean asylum seeker. The basis of the appeal was that failed asylum seekers are at real risk of mistreatment on return from the UK to Zimbabwe. The AIT's country guidance determination was promulgated on 18 October 2005.
	The Tribunal found that the particular way we were enforcing returns of failed Zimbabwean asylum seekers from the UK to Harare airport put them at risk. We will not be enforcing returns to Zimbabwe while we work to resolve the concerns identified by the Tribunal about the way we do so.
	The Tribunal did not find that Zimbabwe was unsafe generally for failed asylum seekers or that those who return there voluntarily are at risk. Failed asylum seekers have no right to remain in the UK and we continue to expect them to return.
	We will continue to provide protection through the asylum system to Zimbabweans who genuinely have a well founded fear of persecution but we do not accept that failed asylum seekers whose claims have been found on appeal to be unfounded are in this position.
	We do not believe that this determination requires us, as a matter of law, to grant refugee status or any other form of leave to remain to failed Zimbabwean asylum seekers. We have already argued successfully before the Tribunal in one individual case since the country guidance case was promulgated that, in the light of the Government's commitment not to enforce returns while we work to identify a route and method which does not expose returnees to a risk contrary to our international obligations, Zimbabwean asylum claims must be decided on their individual facts.
	We are considering appealing the AIT country guidance determination.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Carbon Management Programme

Norman Lamb: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Department will sign up to the Carbon Trust's Carbon Management programme.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has been working on carbon reduction programmes and are presently co-operating with the Carbon Trust on energy efficiency projects, designed to reduce the level of carbon created by its estate operations. Officials have been in contact with the Carbon Trust in respect of their offer to undertake an initial feasibility study on how the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister would adopt a Carbon Management programme and its potential for managing its Carbon Footprint. A decision on whether to sign up to the Carbon Trust's Carbon Management programme will be taken once this feasibility study is complete.

Councils (Norfolk)

Ian Gibson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the merits of unitary status for councils in Norfolk.

Phil Woolas: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mike Penning) on 7 November 2005 (UIN 24019).

Demotion Orders

Margaret Moran: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many demotion orders have been granted by (a) local authorities and (b) registered social landlords since their introduction.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has until this financial year, not requested local authorities to supply data on the number of secure tenancies they demoted. We are now asking them to provide this information and the first tranche of this data will be available for 2005–06.
	The Housing Corporation has commenced the collection of this data. According to its Regulatory and Statistical Returns for 2004–05, 76 tenancies have been demoted since June 2004 when this tool first became available.

Fire Service Personnel (Assaults)

John Cummings: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many assaults on fire service personnel in the course of their duties there have been in the County of Durham in the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) has been maintaining records of attacks on firefighters since April 2004. Prior to that date their was no requirement for the fire and rescue service to report attacks on firefighters.
	Since April 2004 there has been in place a procedure for attacks on firefighters to be notified to the ODPM using the Fires and Incidents of Special Interest (FOSI) reporting procedures, as detailed in a Dear Chief Fire Officer (DCOL) letter 3/2004 issued on 1 April 2005. Since 1 April 2004 there have been reports of eight attacks on firefighters of the Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service.

Firelink Contract

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the Firelink contract successful bid is likely to be announced.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects to announce the preferred bidder for the Firelink contract during November, with a view to signing the contract before Christmas.

Firelink Contract

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what account is taken of the number of proposed communication masts when assessing bids for the Firelink project.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of proposed communication masts has been taken into account as part of the technical assessment of supplier bids, where information about proposed coverage was provided by the suppliers. This is just one aspect of the assessment of the bids, as the overall evaluation has taken into account three other key areas: project management, procurement and whole life costs. It is the balance of this assessment that determines the outcome of the competition.

Gershon Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many full-time equivalent employee reductions have been made as a result of the Gershon review; what (a) cost savings relating to IT projects and (b) value of efficiency savings (i) were achieved in 2004–05 and (ii) are expected to be achieved in 2005–06; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 1 November 2005
	Progress on both headcount reductions in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Central), Government Offices for the Regions and ODPM's executive agencies and on cost savings was reported in the ODPM Departmental Annual Report, 2004. Further progress will be reported in the Autumn Performance Reports, which will include figures for headcount reduction in NDPBs as well as the core Department and at aggregate level in the pre-Budget report.
	Efficiency savings relating to IT projects relating to the efficiency review will not start to flow until 2006–07.

Housing

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment his Department has made of the potential environmental impact of its plans for new housing developments in the south-east; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The process for preparing regional plans for new development is set out in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. Accordingly, it is the South East England Regional Assembly which is responsible for appraising the sustainability of alternative development options as part of their drafting of the Regional Spatial Strategy (known as the South East Plan"). After the Assembly submit their draft Plan to Government, there is further public consultation and testing by an independent Panel before the Plan is finalised by Government.

IT Projects

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list for each IT project his Department has undertaken since May 1997 which has incurred a total expenditure of £5 million or more (a) the name of the project, (b) its intended purpose, (c) the principal contractors involved and the payments made to each, (d) the original estimate of the cost of the project, (e) the actual outturn of expenditure on the project, (f) the intended date on which the project was to be fully implemented, (g) the actual date on which it was fully implemented or cancelled, (h) modifications which have been made to the project since it was first commissioned, (i) contractors on the project whose contracts have been cancelled, (j) replacement or additional contractors on the project, (k) the most reliable estimate of public expenditure saved as a result of implementing the project and (l) the most reliable estimates of improved performance of departmental functions as a result of implementing the project.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Since the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was established in May 2002, none of the IT projects we have completed has cost more than £5 million.

IT Projects

David Laws: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many IT projects have been developed for his Department since 2001; and whether he has agreed to make public (a) in full and (b) in part Gateway reviews for these projects.

Jim Fitzpatrick: According to central records, 47 IT projects have either been completed or set in train since the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) was established in May 2002.
	Gateway reviews are conducted on a confidential basis for the Senior Responsible Owner and ODPM have not agreed for any report material to be made public. Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 each request for the release of information contained in a Gateway Review is considered on a case-by-case basis.

Management Consultants

Ian Gibson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much has been spent on management consultants by (a) Norwich city council and (b) Norfolk county council in each of the last five years.

Phil Woolas: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not hold this information for local authorities. However, we are advised that the information could be obtained from each authority and suggest that my hon. Friend contacts the Head of Efficiency at Norfolk county council and the Acting Director of Finance at Norwich city council in order to obtain the relevant figures.

Notting Hill Housing Trust

Greg Hands: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many complaints have been received against the Notting Hill Housing Trust in each of the last five years; and how many have been investigated by the Ombudsman.

Phil Woolas: Since 2001–02 complaints have been received against the Notting Hill Housing Trust (NHHT) by the following organisations:
	
		
			 Organisation 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 
		
		
			 Netting Hill Housing Trust(14) (11)650 (11)700 688 470 (12)370 
			 Housing Corporation (13)2 14 6 7 1 
			 ODPM 0 2 6 5 0 
		
	
	(11) Figures for 2001–02 and the first half of 2002–03 are estimated. During this period complaints were dealt with within NHHT area teams. NHHT launched its Complaint Team in November 2003 and the figures from this date are accurate.
	(12) From 1 April to 31 October 2005.
	(13) From 1 October 2001 to 31 March 2002.
	(14) Data provided by NHHT.
	Complaints against NHHT received by the Independent Housing Ombudsman (IHO) and the number of those that were investigated are set out as follows:
	
		
			  Organisation 
			  Received by the IHO Investigated by the IHO 
		
		
			 2001–02 32 3 
			 2002–03 37 9 
			 2003–04 48 11 
			 2004–05 28 7 
			 2005–06 15 4

Pensions

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the financial position of the London borough of Brent council pension scheme.

Phil Woolas: The Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations require an actuarial valuation of each of the Scheme's funds every three years. At the valuation carried out as at 31 March 2004, the independent actuary appointed by the London borough of Brent reported that the fund held assets of £360 million against liabilities of £534 million. Accordingly the actuary set an appropriate employer contribution rate for the three financial years starting with 2005–06 to secure the solvency of the fund. Brent council has also published a Funding Strategy Statement, as required by the regulations, setting out its approach to managing its pension liabilities.

Regional Fire Control Centres

Roger Gale: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his current estimate is of (a) the capital costs of the construction of a regional network of fire control centres, (b) the capital costs of the closure and relocation of England's 46 control rooms and (c) the revenue costs of running a network of regional fire control centres over their projected 15-year lifecycle.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The business case, on www.odpm.firecontrol.gov.uk, presents the one-off" and ongoing" costs for regional controls, which are related to (but not the same as) capital" and revenue" figures respectively. Accounting treatment is still under consideration.
	The one-off gross cost of implementing networked regional control centres in England is forecast to be £160 million. This figure includes developing and installing the new ICT infrastructure, the costs associated with transition from existing control rooms to the new arrangements, and project management. The buildings will be leased from developers, who will meet the capital costs of their construction.
	The business case does not contain any capital costs for closing existing control rooms. However, the one-off costs for relocating control room functions have been included in the £160 million cost referred to above.
	The annual operating cost for providing control services with national network of regional centres, under steady state operating conditions, is currently forecast to be approximately £52 million.

Regional Fire Control Centres

Roger Gale: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his current estimate is of the cost savings which will be achieved through staff reductions arising from the relocation of existing control rooms to regional fire control centres.

Jim Fitzpatrick: After the last control centre goes live, it is estimated that the new network of regional fire control centres will achieve annual savings of over £20 million (30 per cent. reduction in annual running costs).
	Staffing represents the largest cost element under both the current position and regional controls. Consequently, the largest relative savings will be generated in this area. There are additional contributions from the economies of scale achieved through the national infrastructure services contract, the avoidance of infrastructure replacement costs (including related project management), and the economies of scale achieved in servicing control centre accommodation.

Respect Unit

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 27 October 2005, Official Report, column 489W, on respect, whether any payment is being made by his Department to the Home Office specifically for the Respect Unit functions.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not made any payment directly to the Home Office for the Respect Unit's functions, although we have seconded a member of staff to work in the Unit.
	I refer the hon. Member to the previous answer given on 27 October 2005, Official Report, column 489W.

Standards Board for England

Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many cases have been referred to the Standards Board for England in the last 12 months for which information is available; and of these how many were (a) found to be cases where the code of conduct had not been breached, (b) found to be cases where it was inappropriate for further action to be taken and (c) referred for investigation by an ethical standards officer.

Phil Woolas: In the 2004–05 the Standards Board for England received 3,861 allegations that members of local authorities had breached the code of conduct for members. During that year, 1,543 allegations were not referred for investigation as the alleged conduct would not have involved a failure to comply with the code, 1,195 allegations were not referred for investigation because the allegations were found to be inappropriate for further action to be taken, and 949 allegations were referred for investigation.

Standards Board for England

Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in how many cases referred by the Standards Board for England for investigation in the last 12 months for which figures are available it was found that (a) there was no evidence of failure to comply with the code, (b) no further action was required, (c) the matter should be referred to the monitoring officer of the local authority and (d) the matter should be referred to the adjudication panel.

Phil Woolas: The information requested in respect of the investigations completed by ethical standards officers of the Standards Board for England in 2004–05 is as follows.
	(a) 310 cases—no evidence was found of a failure to comply with the code of conduct for members.
	(b) 947 cases—no further action was required.
	(c) 78 cases—referred to local authority monitoring officers.
	(d) 111 cases—referred to the Adjudication Panel for England.

Standards Board for England

Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average cost of a case referred to the Standards Board for England was where the finding was (a) no breach, (b) no further action appropriate and (c) referred for investigation in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Phil Woolas: The Standards Board for England estimates that the average cost for them to make a referral decision in 2004–05 was £225, regardless of the decision made. The Board does not separately record costs in respect of the specific referral decisions made.
	The average cost of an investigation into an allegation of a breach of the code of conduct by members of local authorities is about £5,000 per case.

Sustainable Development

David Howarth: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his Department's performance against its key sustainable development impacts over the last 12 months.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister played a full part in preparing the UK Sustainable Development Strategy, Securing the Future", which was launched in March 2005. The UK Sustainable Development Strategy makes clear that sustainable communities represent sustainable development at a local level.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Annual Report describes progress in creating sustainable communities and gives details on our key performance indicators.
	Copies of the UK Sustainable Development Strategy and the Department's Annual Report are in the Library of the House.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be producing a Sustainable Development Action Plan in December 2005, which will set out the steps the Office is taking to contribute to the delivery of the Strategy, including arrangements for monitoring progress.

Travellers

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 11 October 2005, Official Report, column 445W, on Travellers, for what reasons copies of the written reports were not deposited in the Libraries at the time of the written answer; and whether copies have now been deposited in the Library.

Yvette Cooper: The letters were not deposited at the time of the written answer due to an administrative oversight for which I apologise. The documents have been made available in the Libraries of the House.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

African Union

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress the Government have made in assisting the African Union in meeting its commitments, with particular reference to full troop deployment in Darfur.

Ian Pearson: The UK has committed £19 million funding this year to the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS). This brings our total contribution to AMIS, since its inception, to almost £32 million. We are using this money to provide equipment, including 950 vehicles of which we have already purchased 450, and to provide military and civilian policing advice, expertise and training. We have also used some of our contribution to fund airlift of troops into Darfur.
	The UK and international partners have urged the African Union to carry out a further assessment mission to examine the effectiveness of the expanded AMIS and present recommendations for the future, including whether any further expansion is required. We expect this mission will take place in the coming weeks.

Departmental Skills Development Plan

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which individual is responsible for developing and implementing his Department's Skills Development Plan.

Jack Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) Skills Development Plan is the responsibility of Ms Gerry Reffo, Head of the FCO's Professional Development Policy Team.

Departmental Skills Development Plan

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's Skills Development Plan.

Jack Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is reviewing its departmental Skills Development Plan in line with the Professional Skills in Government (PSG) initiative, to reflect, in particular, the skills audit taking place at present and the changes in training that the PSG is helping to bring about. A revised version of the Skills Development Plan will be prepared by the end of January 2006 and placed in the Library of the House.

Departmental Sponsorship

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list formal consultations being sponsored by his Department and its agencies; and what the (a) commencement date and (b) deadline for responses is in each case.

Jack Straw: The joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Home Office Forced Marriage Unit launched a full public consultation on whether to introduce a new forced marriage criminal offence. This was launched on 5 September and will last until 5 December. On 20 October we started a consultation on our Consular Guide, which sets out what the FCO can and cannot do for British nationals in difficulty abroad. This will last until the end of November. The FCO has also contributed to consultations of other Government Departments, such as the 16 week consultation on managed migration routes to the UK which was launched on 19 July and on which the FCO and Home Office organised a joint seminar with foreign embassies. In addition to formal consultations, we frequently seek the views of a range of stakeholders in setting strategy, for example our sustainable development strategy, published in March this year, and in forming policy.

Departmental Staff (Qualifications)

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of new recruits to his Department do not have a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics.

Jack Straw: All entry points into the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, save one, require candidates to have a minimum of a level 2 in English and Mathematics. The exception is for new recruits at Administrative Assistant level who are required to have a minimum of GCSE grade A*-C (or equivalent) in English Language. An educational qualification in Mathematics is not required, although numeracy is tested during ability tests.
	In 2005–06, 65 candidates have been successful at Administrative Assistant level, subject to pre-appointment checks. Of these 65 candidates, 22 do not have the equivalent of a level 2 in Mathematics.

European Constitution

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made (a) to the European Commission and (b) to other EU member states on the inclusion of a €6 million provision in next year's EU budget for promoting the European Constitution.

Douglas Alexander: The European Commission has requested a further €6 million from the EU budget to support work on the Future of Europe debate. The EU's budget for 2006 must be agreed between the European Council and the European Parliament. The Commission initiated this process by proposing a Preliminary Draft Budget, which was amended by the Council in its first reading on 15 July to form the Draft Budget. The European Parliament agreed its own amendments to the Draft Budget on 27 October, and the Council will conclude its second reading on 24 November. The budget will then go back to the European Parliament, hopefully for approval at its plenary on 13–15 December. In this context, the UK has worked closely with other member states to find agreement on the 2006 budget, but no member state has yet made any specific representations on the €6 million requested by the European Commission to support work on the Future of Europe debate.

European Union Border Controls

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will visit the new eastern border of the EU to see the border controls in place to protect the EU from illegal immigration.

Douglas Alexander: The UK co-operates closely with all EU member states on measures to strengthen the external borders, including those responsible for managing the new Eastern border. We fully support the aims and objectives of Frontex, the new European Border Agency based in Warsaw, to which we have seconded two UK officials. This will ensure more structured and effective co-operation between member states. We also work bilaterally and through the EU with accession, candidate and third countries to strengthen their border management capacity, including through ministerial visits when necessary.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no plans at present to visit the Eastern border.

European Union Budget

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress towards agreeing a budget for the European Union under the United Kingdom's presidency.

Douglas Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to the House on 1 November 2005, Official Report, columns 707–09.

European Union Budget

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to ask his French counterpart to increase that country's budget contributions to the EU.

Douglas Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 1 November 2005, Official Report, columns 707–09. The Foreign Secretary made clear that we speak regularly to our French counterparts, as we do with all EU member states, on the way to take forward the future financing negotiations.

G8 Summit (Gleneagles)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total cost to public funds was of hosting the G8 summit at Gleneagles.

Ian Pearson: An estimate for the organisational costs of the G8 summit of £12.1 million has been made available on the G8 website at www.g8.gov.uk. A breakdown of this figure is nearly ready for publication. The process has been delayed to allow some suppliers to submit final invoices.
	These details will be placed in the Library of the House, before also being made available on the G8 website.
	Securing the Gleneagles summit was the responsibility of the Devolved Administration and I understand that Scottish Ministers are separately preparing to release details of these costs.

Ireland

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which of the bilateral treaties, conventions, agreements and similar instruments made between the United Kingdom and Ireland from 1921 to date are still in force.

Douglas Alexander: The United Kingdom has entered into 66 bilateral treaties with Ireland since 1 January 1921. Five of those treaties have been expressly terminated leaving 61 still in force. A list of the treaties concerned has been placed in the Library of the House.

Pakistan

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on human rights in Pakistan.

Kim Howells: We remain concerned by the human rights situation in Pakistan and we continue to raise these concerns with the Government of Pakistan, both bilaterally and through the European Union. We believe that doing this through the collective voice of the European Union is the most effective way of expressing these concerns.

Tibet

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Chinese Government on the arrest of (a) Sonam Gyalpo from Lhasa and (b) four monks from the Labrang Tashikyil Monastery in the Gansu Province of Tibet; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Government are very concerned about Tibetans who find themselves in prison for actions which we consider to be the peaceful expression of political, cultural, and religious rights. We have made representations on behalf of many such prisoners over the years and will continue to do so. The Government will look to raise specific cases of concern brought to our attention by non-governmental organisations at appropriate opportunities. A number of Tibetan prisoners were raised as part of the EU China Human Rights Dialogue held on 24 October in Beijing.

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the lifting of embargoes on the Turkish Republic of northern Cyprus.

Douglas Alexander: There are no actual embargoes in force against north Cyprus, but the lack of a settlement of the Cyprus problem and the suspension of the EU acquis in the north do make many issues, including trade, more difficult.
	The Government strongly supports the EU's commitment, set out at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 26 April 2004, to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community and facilitate the reunification of Cyprus by encouraging the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community. We will continue our efforts during our Presidency of the EU in working with the European Commission and member states towards achieving this aim.

Uganda

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the outcome of the referendum in Uganda in July.

Ian Pearson: The UK issued a statement on 5 August, on behalf of the European Union, following the 28 July referendum on the political transition in Uganda. The statement welcomed the decision of the Ugandan people to endorse the re-introduction of a multi-party political system. This represents a significant step forward for democratic accountability in Uganda.
	Uganda now needs to ensure that the necessary legislation for multi-party politics is in place well before the elections in February or March 2006. The ruling Movement party and in particular its Secretariat should also be fully separated from the state.

Uganda

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards a resolution to the conflict in Northern Uganda.

Ian Pearson: The UK remains concerned at the continuation of the 19 year conflict in Northern Uganda and the serious humanitarian situation for the more than 1.4 million people still living in camps for internally displaced people.
	The UK continues to call on the Government of Uganda to ensure that all of its citizens are protected and provided for. A recent upsurge in violent attacks in northern Uganda has led to the UN and other humanitarian organisations suspending field missions. This is a matter of grave concern.
	The International Criminal Court (ICC) unsealed its first warrants on 13 October for the arrest of five Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) commanders. The UK is a strong supporter of the work of the ICC and calls on all those involved to work to facilitate the arrest of the individuals subject to the warrants. The UK is encouraging Uganda to work hard to encourage all members of the LRA, not subject to ICC or national arrest warrants, to seek amnesty, reconciliation and reintegration into their communities.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claiming (a) jobseeker's allowance and (b) disability benefit have more than five GCSEs or equivalent qualifications in (i) England, (ii) the Tees Valley and (iii) Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland constituency.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

Benefits

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people received (a) housing benefit, (b) council tax benefit, (c) income support and (d) incapacity benefit in the constituency of Hemel Hempstead, in each year since 1997.

James Plaskitt: The available information is in the tables.
	
		Housing benefit and council tax benefit caseloads in Dacorum borough council, May 1997–2005
		
			  Housing benefit Council tax benefit 
		
		
			 1997 8,100 9,000 
			 1998 7,600 8,500 
			 1999 7,100 8,000 
			 2000 7,000 7,900 
			 2001 6,700 7,600 
			 2002 6,500 7,400 
			 2003 6,700 7,500 
			 2004 6,900 7,800 
			 2005 7,100 8,200 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures for housing benefit and council tax benefit are not available for parliamentary constituencies.
	2. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
	3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.
	4. Council tax benefit totals exclude any second adult rebate cases.
	5. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases.
	Source:
	Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count taken in May 2005.
	
		Income support claimants in the Hemel Hempstead parliamentary constituency, May 1997 to May 2005
		
			  
		
		
			 1997 2,000 
			 1998 2,000 
			 1999 2,200 
			 2000 2,400 
			 2001 2,500 
			 2002 2,500 
			 2003 2,500 
			 2004 2,500 
			 2005 2,500 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.
	2. For comparison purposes, the income support figures do not include pensioners. Income support has not been payable to pensioners since October 2003.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate, combination of Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study and 5 per cent. sample data.
	
		Incapacity benefit and severe disability allowance claimants in the Hemel Hempstead parliamentary constituency, May 2000–05
		
			  
		
		
			 1997 2,500 
			 1998 2,500 
			 1999 2,600 
			 2000 2,500 
			 2001 2,600 
			 2002 2,700 
			 2003 2,800 
			 2004 2,800 
			 2005 2,800 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
	2. Claimants include incapacity benefit, severe disability allowance and national insurance contributions-only cases.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.

Benefits

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Kingston and Surbiton constituency have received (a) widows benefit, (b) housing benefit, (c) council tax benefit and (d) income support in each year since 1997.

James Plaskitt: The available information is in the tables.
	
		Bereavement benefit and widows benefit recipients in the Kingston and Surbiton parliamentary constituency: May 2000–05
		
			 As at May: Bereavement benefit Widows benefit 
		
		
			 2000 n/a 400 
			 2001 n/a 300 
			 2002 100 300 
			 2003 100 200 
			 2004 100 200 
			 2005 100 200 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. n/a = not applicable; bereavement benefit replaced widows benefit for new claims in April 2001
	2. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
	3. Breakdown by parliamentary constituency is not available prior to May 2000.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.
	
		Housing benefit and council tax benefit caseloads in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames: May 1997–2005
		
			 As at May: Housing benefit Council tax benefit 
		
		
			 1997 6,600 7,600 
			 1998 5,600 6,200 
			 1999 6,000 6,600 
			 2000 5,700 6,300 
			 2001 5,900 6,500 
			 2002 5,900 6,500 
			 2003 6,100 6,800 
			 2004 6,600 7,300 
			 2005 7,000 7,800 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures for housing benefit and council tax benefit are not available for parliamentary constituencies.
	2. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
	3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.
	4. Council tax benefit totals exclude any Second Adult Rebate cases.
	5. Housing benefit figures exclude any Extended Payment cases.
	Source:
	Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count taken in May 2005.
	
		Income support claimants in the Kingston and Surbiton parliamentary constituency: May 1997 to May 2005
		
			 As at May: Claimants 
		
		
			 1997 3,100 
			 1998 2,900 
			 1999 2,700 
			 2000 2,600 
			 2001 2,700 
			 2002 2,600 
			 2003 2,700 
			 2004 2,700 
			 2005 2,700 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
	2. For comparison purposes, the income support figures do not include pensioners. income support has not been payable to pensioners since October 2003.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate, combination of Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study and 5 per cent. sample data.

Bereavement Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of men who lost their wives and who claimed for widows and bereavement benefits prior to 1 April 2001 but whose claims were rejected are now eligible to claim retrospectively for (a) widow's bereavement allowance and (b) bereavement payment; and if he will make a statement on eligibility to backdated widows' and bereavement benefits in cases where the wife of a man died before 1 April 2001.

James Plaskitt: Bereavement benefits were introduced on 9 April 2001 for both men and women. Prior to this date there was no provision to pay widows' benefits to men and this is still the case.
	The Government have decided to offer settlement on claims for discrimination relating to widowed mothers' allowance and widow's payment, but only to those widowers who have an admissible case in the European Court of Human Rights and who satisfy the benefit conditions and made their original claim at the correct time. Widowers who were unsuccessful in the recent cases before the House of Lords were able to take their case to Europe provided they did so by 4 November 2005 (six months from the House of Lords ruling). We are not currently aware of how many cases may be involved.
	Any claims for widow's payment or widowed mothers' allowance by a man whose wife died before 9 April 2001 and who has not previously made an application to the European Court or was not involved with the domestic cases will now be too late. Any claims received from widowers at Jobcentre Plus or social security offices will be subject to the usual late claim rules and will be disallowed because they are out of time. In deciding on this approach we have been guided by previous admissibility decisions of the European Court of Human Rights in widowers' cases.

Child Support

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many potential child support cases are awaiting processing at the point of entry for benefit cases via the Jobcentre Plus interface.

James Plaskitt: At the end of August 2005 there were 85,000 such cases. However, in addition to new valid applications this figure includes applications where there is insufficient information available to identify the non-resident parent, and changes of circumstance in relation to an existing case.

Correspondence

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will reply to the correspondence dated 22 March and 1 April from the hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton with regard to Mr. Stephen Stone, reference Ston010, sent again on 4 July.

James Plaskitt: I replied to the hon. Member on 31 October. I am sorry that the hon. Member's correspondence was handled incorrectly in the Department.

Departmental Energy Consumption

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much energy has been consumed by his Department in each of the last five years; and how much was spent on energy in each year.

James Plaskitt: The figures for energy consumption and costs are in the table. The Department for Work and Pensions was created in June 2001. From July 2002, the figures include the Health and safety Executive, and from April 2004, the Rent Service.
	
		
			  Consumption (KwH) Cost (£) 
		
		
			 2001–02 694,310,805 16,397,153 
			 2002–03 715,754,197 19,051,582 
			 2003–04 730,616,284 20,418,022 
			 2004–05 757,031,373 24,501,543

Departmental Policies

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Gateshead, East and Washington, West constituency, the effects in Gateshead, East and Washington, West of changes to his Department's policies since 1997.

Anne McGuire: We have undertaken a fundamental overhaul of the welfare system, transforming it to an active system that fights poverty, creates opportunity and helps people become self-sufficient and independent.
	Since 2001, the Government have significantly extended and improved civil rights for disabled people in areas such as employment, education, access to goods and services and transport. Disabled people in Gateshead, East and Washington, West will have benefited from these improvements in disability rights. Similarly, families with severely disabled 3 and 4-year-old children who are unable, or virtually unable to walk will have benefited from the Government's decision to lower the minimum age entitlement to the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance from April 2001, while older and less well off carers have gained extra help through the provisions within the National Carers Strategy.
	In 2002–03 we estimate there were around 10 million adults (22 per cent.) and 0.7 million children (5 per cent.) in Great Britain likely to be covered by the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).
	The figures can be broken down to regional level which shows that 29 per cent. of adults and 6 per cent. of children in north-east region are likely to be covered by the provisions of the DDA.
	Through Jobcentre Plus, we are promoting work as the best form of welfare for people of working age. The number of people in work is at historically high levels of over 28.8 million; in Gateshead, East and Washington, West, the proportion in employment has risen to 76.4 per cent.
	Our new deals have helped lone parents, the young unemployed, the long-term unemployed, disabled people, the over 50s and partners of unemployed people to move from benefit into work. Nationally over 1.4 million people have been helped into work by the new deals, with over 2,780 in Gateshead, East and Washington, West alone.
	Significant progress has been made in tackling child poverty and the latest figures (for 2003–04) show that, in the UK, there were over half a million fewer children in relative low income than there were in 1996–97. Since 2001–02 incomes for lone parents in receipt of benefit have risen by more than prices or the cost of living. Child rates in income support and jobseeker's allowance have been increased by 40 per cent. since 2001–02, increasing above inflation in April 2005 in line with child tax credit upratings. All of this has benefited 1,800 families in Gateshead, East and Washington, West.
	We want all pensioners to have a decent and secure income in retirement and to share fairly in the rising prosperity of the country and our first priority has been to help the least well off pensioners. The Government will be spending nearly £11 billion extra in 2005–06 on pensioners as a result of measures introduced since 1997. Almost half of this spending going to the least well off third.
	Our reforms include the state second pension, which helps more future pensioners build up better pensions, especially carers. Pension credit, introduced from October 2003, provides a contribution to a guaranteed minimum income for those aged 60 and over and, for the first time, those over aged 65 and over may be rewarded for savings and income. As of May 2005, around 5,300 pensioners in Gateshead, East and Washington, West are receiving pension credit, with an average award of £36.44 per week.
	We know that older people are disproportionately affected by fuel poverty. This winter (2005–06) we have again made available a winter fuel payment of £200 for each eligible household with someone aged 60 or over and £300 to those with someone aged 80 or over to help with their fuel bills. Additionally, for 2005–06, eligible households with someone aged 65 or over, not receiving the guarantee element of pension credit will receive a one-off payment of £200 to help with their council tax bills. It is paid with the winter fuel payment, and one-off payment of £50 for pensioner households with someone aged 70 and over in receipt of the pension credit guarantee in recognition of the fact that the oldest and poorest pensioners are likely to be disproportionately affected by the rise in cost of living expenses.
	The constituency data on winter fuel payments and the additional 80+ annual payment is available in the Library.
	Since 1997 single pensioners and pensioner couples have seen a real terms increase in their basic state pension of 7 per cent. and 7 per cent. respectively. Some 15,200 pensioners in Gateshead, East and Washington, West have benefited from this increase.

Housing Benefit

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the annual cost to (a) the Exchequer and (b) local authorities of a 10 per cent. reduction in the housing benefit taper;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the annual cost to (a) the Exchequer and (b) local authorities of a five per cent. reduction in the council tax benefit taper.

James Plaskitt: There will be no cost to local authorities for paying additional benefit as this will be met by the Department. The only impact to local authorities will be associated with the processing and maintenance of additional new claims, the numbers of which are in the table. The Department does not collect management information relating to the cost to authorities of processing and maintaining claims.
	The available information is in the table.
	
		Cost associated with reducing housing benefit (HB) and council tax benefit (CTB) tapers
		
			  Number of new beneficiaries floating on Number of existing beneficiaries gaining Cost in annually managed expenditure (£ million per year) 
		
		
			 Reducing the HB taper from 65 per cent. to 55 per cent. 125,000 875,000 230 
			 Reducing the CTB taper from 20 per cent. to 15 per cent. 370,000 1,115,000 155 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All figures are for Great Britain.
	2. Beneficiaries are rounded to the nearest five thousand and costs are rounded to the nearest £5 million.
	3. Each beneficiary represents a benefit unit, which can be a single claimant or a couple.
	4. The impact is estimated using the Department's Policy Simulation Model for 2005–06, using data from the 2003–04 Family Resources Survey up-rated to 2005–06 prices, benefit rates and earnings levels, and is calibrated to latest published forecasts and policies.
	5. Results are subject to sampling and reporting errors and estimation assumptions, and are therefore indicative only. No behavioural changes are assumed.

Housing Benefit

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average housing benefit payment was to tenants in social rented accommodation in each local authority area in England in (a) 1991 and (b) 2004.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available for 1991. The available information for 2004 has been placed in the Library.

Incapacity Benefit

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) men and (b) women (i) over and (ii) under the age of 50 years were claiming incapacity benefit in each (A) region and (B) country of the UK in the last period for which figures are available, broken down by the number of years for which claimants had been on the benefit.

Stephen Timms: The available information is in the table.
	
		Number of incapacity benefit and severe disability allowance claimants in Great Britain, by age, gender, region, and durationof claim at 31 May 2005
		
			 Thousand 
			  All Up to 6 months 6–12 months 1–2 years 2–3 years 3–4 years 4–5 years 5 years and over 
		
		
			 All Regions 2,784.0 256.6 180.6 271.5 228.4 195.5 191.0 1,460.4 
			 Men aged under 50 814.3 102.9 69.0 96.7 76.3 62.0 57.6 349.8 
			 Men aged 50–64 796.8 48.1 35.8 59.5 54.8 50.7 52.9 495.1 
			 Women aged under 50 663.3 76.4 52.4 76.1 62.2 50.9 47.5 297.9 
			 Women aged 50–59 466.9 28.7 22.6 38.2 34.4 31.1 31.5 280.4 
			 Men over SPA 6.9 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 6.3 
			 Women over SPA 35.9 0.6 0.6 0.8 0.7 0.8 1.3 31.1 
			  
			 North East 178.3 16.0 10.4 15.5 13.4 11.7 12.1 99.2 
			 Men aged under 50 50.0 6.6 4.0 5.4 4.5 3.7 3.6 22.3 
			 Men aged 50–64 55.3 3.0 2.1 3.5 3.2 3.1 3.4 36.9 
			 Women aged under 50 40.2 4.7 2.9 4.3 3.6 2.9 2.9 18.9 
			 Women aged 50–59 30.2 1.7 1.3 2.2 2.0 1.9 2.0 18.9 
			 Men over SPA 0.3 (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 0.3 
			 Women over SPA 2.3 0.1 (15)— (15)— 0.1 0.1 0.1 1.9 
			  
			 North West 432.4 36.3 25.9 40.2 35.1 30.2 29.3 235.3 
			 Men aged under 50 124.3 14.5 9.8 14.4 11.8 9.7 8.9 55.2 
			 Men aged 50–64 127.2 6.7 5.4 9.0 8.4 7.8 8.3 81.6 
			 Women aged under 50 100.8 10.9 7.3 11.1 9.5 7.8 7.1 47.1 
			 Women aged 50–59 73.7 4.1 3.3 5.7 5.2 4.8 4.7 46.1 
			 Men over SPA 0.9 (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 0.8 
			 Women over SPA 5.4 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 4.4 
			 Unknown (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 
			  
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 251.0 23.5 15.9 24.5 20.8 17.8 17.5 130.9 
			 Men aged under 50 71.0 9.4 6.0 8.4 6.5 5.4 5.1 30.3 
			 Men aged 50–64 76.5 4.6 3.4 5.7 5.5 5.0 5.1 47.1 
			 Women aged under 50 57.5 6.7 4.4 6.6 5.4 4.4 4.3 25.7 
			 Women aged 50–59 41.9 2.7 2.1 3.6 3.2 3.0 3.0 24.3 
			 Men over SPA 0.5 (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 0.5 
			 Women over SPA 3.5 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 3.1 
			 Unknown (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 
			  
			 East Midlands 185.0 16.9 11.7 17.6 15.0 12.9 12.8 98.3 
			 Men aged under 50 51.0 6.4 4.1 5.7 4.6 3.7 3.5 22.9 
			 Men aged 50–64 55.9 3.6 2.7 4.4 4.0 3.7 3.7 33.8 
			 Women aged under 50 42.8 4.9 3.2 4.7 3.8 3.2 3.1 19.9 
			 Women aged 50–59 32.2 2.0 1.6 2.7 2.5 2.1 2.3 18.8 
			 Men over SPA 0.5 (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 0.4 
			 Women over SPA 2.7 (15)— (15)— 0.1 (15)— (15)— 0.1 2.4 
			 Unknown (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 
			  
			 West Midlands 250.8 23.2 15.9 24.8 20.9 17.9 17.0 130.9 
			 Men aged under 50 72.8 9.2 6.0 8.6 6.8 5.5 4.9 31.8 
			 Men aged 50–64 74.0 4.9 3.3 5.9 5.4 5.0 5.2 44.4 
			 Women aged under 50 58.1 6.6 4.4 6.8 5.5 4.5 4.0 26.4 
			 Women aged 50–59 42.4 2.6 2.1 3.5 3.2 2.9 2.9 25.3 
			 Men over SPA 0.5 (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 0.5 
			 Women over SPA 3.0 (15)— (15)— 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 2.6 
			 Unknown (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 
			  
			 East of England 180.7 18.8 13.0 18.3 14.9 12.6 12.1 91.0 
			 Men aged under 50 52.9 7.4 4.8 6.3 4.8 3.9 3.6 22.1 
			 Men aged 50–64 49.3 3.7 2.7 4.2 3.7 3.1 3.3 28.6 
			 Women aged under 50 44.2 5.4 3.9 5.0 3.9 3.4 3.0 19.6 
			 Women aged 50–59 31.1 2.2 1.7 2.7 2.3 2.1 2.2 17.8 
			 Men over SPA 0.6 (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 0.5 
			 Women over SPA 2.7 (15)— (15)— 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 2.4 
			 Unknown (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 
			  
			 London 319.0 29.7 23.1 34.7 29.7 24.5 23.8 153.4 
			 Men aged under 50 109.7 12.7 9.7 14.1 11.2 8.9 8.4 44.6 
			 Men aged 50–64 76.1 4.4 3.5 5.8 5.5 5.2 5.5 46.0 
			 Women aged under 50 81.0 9.5 7.4 10.5 8.9 6.8 6.2 31.7 
			 Women aged 50–59 48.6 2.9 2.4 4.2 4.0 3.6 3.6 27.8 
			 Men over SPA 0.8 (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 0.7 
			 Women over SPA 2.7 (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 0.1 2.5 
			 Unknown (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 
			  
			 South East 243.5 24.9 18.4 25.9 20.2 17.2 16.0 120.8 
			 Men aged under 50 74.1 9.9 7.1 9.3 6.7 5.6 4.8 30.7 
			 Men aged 50–64 65.6 4.7 3.6 5.6 4.8 4.3 4.3 38.3 
			 Women aged under 50 59.7 7.4 5.3 7.4 5.7 4.6 4.0 25.3 
			 Women aged 50–59 39.3 2.9 2.3 3.6 2.9 2.6 2.7 22.4 
			 Men over SPA 0.9 (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 0.8 
			 Women over SPA 3.8 (15)— 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 3.3 
			 Unknown (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 
			  
			 South West 195.3 19.5 13.3 19.8 15.8 13.5 13.7 99.7 
			 Men aged under 50 59.5 8.1 5.1 7.1 5.5 4.4 4.3 25.0 
			 Men aged 50–64 54.8 3.7 2.7 4.3 3.8 3.6 3.6 33.0 
			 Women aged under 50 46.3 5.5 3.8 5.5 4.1 3.4 3.4 20.5 
			 Women aged 50–59 31.4 2.2 1.7 2.8 2.3 2.0 2.2 18.2 
			 Men over SPA 0.6 (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 0.6 
			 Women over SPA 2.7 (15)— (15)— 0.1 (15)— 0.1 0.1 2.4 
			  
			 Wales 212.5 17.8 12.1 18.4 15.6 14.0 14.0 120.6 
			 Men aged under 50 54.4 6.8 4.3 6.1 4.7 3.9 3.8 24.7 
			 Men aged 50–64 67.2 3.4 2.6 4.3 4.0 3.9 4.2 44.7 
			 Women aged under 50 49.1 5.4 3.5 5.2 4.2 3.6 3.4 23.8 
			 Women aged 50–59 38.3 2.1 1.7 2.8 2.6 2.4 2.4 24.2 
			 Men over SPA 0.4 (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 0.4 
			 Women over SPA 3.1 (15)— (15)— 0.1 0.1 (15)— 0.1 2.8 
			  
			 Scotland 323.5 29.7 20.4 30.8 26.0 22.3 21.5 172.8 
			 Men aged under 50 93.0 11.8 7.9 11.3 8.9 7.2 6.5 39.4 
			 Men aged 50–64 88.9 5.2 3.7 6.3 5.8 5.5 5.7 56.7 
			 Women aged under 50 81.9 9.5 6.3 9.1 7.4 6.1 5.8 37.8 
			 Women aged 50–59 55.1 3.2 2.5 4.1 3.7 3.4 3.3 34.8 
			 Men over SPA 0.9 (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 0.8 
			 Women over SPA 3.8 0.1 (15)— 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 3.3 
			  
			 Overseas 12.0 0.3 0.4 0.9 1.0 0.9 1.0 7.5 
			 Men aged under 50 1.5 (15)— 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.8 
			 Men aged 50–64 6.0 0.1 0.2 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.5 3.9 
			 Women aged under 50 1.7 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 1.0 
			 Women aged 50–59 2.7 (15)— 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 1.7 
			 Men over SPA (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 
			 Women over SPA 0.1 (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— (15)— 
		
	
	(15) Nil or negligible.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are shown in thousands and rounded to the nearest hundred. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
	2. 'Claimant' figures include incapacity benefit credits only cases.
	3. Totals include a very small number of cases where age/gender is unknown (only 40 cases at May 2005).
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data.

Incapacity Benefit

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) men and (b) women (i) over and (ii) under 50 years were claiming incapacity benefit in each (A) (1) region and (2) country of the UK and (B) social services authority area in the last period for which figures are available.

Anne McGuire: The information is not available in the format requested. The information for Great Britain and local authorities in Great Britain has been placed in the Library.

Incapacity Benefit

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the expenditure on incapacity benefit was in each (a) region and (b) country of the UK in the last period for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: The available information is in the table.
	
		Incapacity benefit expenditure 2003–04
		
			 £ million 
			  Nominal terms Real terms (2005–06 prices) 
		
		
			 Great Britain 6,641 6,942 
			
			 England 5,184 5,418 
			 North East 493 516 
			 North West 1,106 1,156 
			 Yorkshire and The Humber 623 651 
			 East Midlands 475 497 
			 West Midlands 630 659 
			 East of England 409 427 
			 London 509 532 
			 South East 510 533 
			 South West 428 448 
			
			 Wales 611 638 
			
			 Scotland 809 846 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Benefit expenditure in Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland office.
	2. Great Britain expenditure consistent with Budget 2005.
	3. Country and Government Office Region expenditure is derived from data underlying the Analysis of Public Expenditure by Country and Region 2005.
	4. Does not include overseas expenditure.

Incapacity Benefit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of the 17,000 claimants with recorded job entries in Pathways to Work pilots (a) returned to incapacity benefits and (b) claimed jobseeker's allowance within (i) one month, (ii) two months, (iii) six months and (iv) 12 months in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement on the assessment that has been carried out of those claimants of incapacity benefit with recorded job entries in the pilot areas who subsequently returned to benefits.

Margaret Hodge: Moving into employment from incapacity benefits is a major transition for many people. Over half of those claiming incapacity benefits have been claiming for more than eight years and have a range of barriers to overcome in addition to their health condition. We recognise the challenge that the transition to work represents but we want to support and encourage people to make this transition to transform their life-chances. For example, we have already extended the linking rules so that people who take the risk of leaving incapacity benefits can return to previous benefit levels.
	The statistical information requested is in the table.
	
		Proportion of job entrants in Pathways to Work areas returning to benefit
		
			 Percentage 
			  Incapacity benefit Jobseeker's allowance Incapacity benefit or jobseeker's allowance 
		
		
			 Within 1 month 3 2 5 
			 Within 2 months 5 4 9 
			 Within 6 months 11 9 19 
			 Within 12 months 14 12 24 
		
	
	Note:
	Data are to the end of August 2005.
	Sources:
	1. The statistics quoted in this response are taken from the Pathways to Work Evaluation Database.
	2. The benefits data are taken from the Department's 100 per cent. Benefits Database.

New Deal

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on his Department's contribution to the establishment of the New Deal for Skills.

Margaret Hodge: The Departments for Work and Pensions, Education and Skills, Trade and Industry and Treasury have worked jointly to develop a package of measures that are known collectively as New Deal for Skills. DWP and DfES are taking the work forward as a joint project.
	New Deal for Skills comprises three main strands: Skills Coaching, Skills Passports and the Adult Learning Option. DWP have been actively involved in the design and delivery of the DfES funded Skills Coaching and Skills Passports trials. DWP are then funding and managing the evaluation work for the Skills Coaching and Skills Passports trials. We expect the full evaluation report to be available next summer.
	DWP have lead responsibility for the work to pilot the Adult Learning Option from September 2006. This will test the effectiveness of providing financial support to encourage low skilled Jobcentre Plus customers to take up full-time Level 2 further education courses, where a lack of skills stops them entering the labour market.
	More detail on the New Deal for Skills may be found in Skills and the Global Economy" and Skills:Getting on in Business, getting on at work"(Cm6483). Both documents are available in the Library.

New Deal

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which training companies providing courses under the new deal for young people he expects to have their contracts renewed.

Margaret Hodge: Contracts for new deal for young people are currently being re-tendered, to run for a minimum of two years from April 2006. The competitive tendering process is in two stages. The closing date for first stage bids is 4 November in most instances. All bids received will be carefully evaluated against published criteria, and those bidders who are successful at that stage will be invited to submit second stage bids. Contracts will be awarded in early 2006.
	Organisations currently providing new deal training services for young people are entitled to bid for these new contracts. We cannot pre-empt the results of the procurement process, but it is likely that many current providers will be successful in winning further work for Jobcentre Plus, either in their own right or as sub-contractors to other training providers.

Pensions

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of people in receipt of UK state pensions which have been frozen due to their residence in countries without reciprocal pension arrangements with the UK;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) up-rating all frozen overseas pensions from 1 January 2006 and (b) backdating them to the point at which they were first frozen;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the net cost of establishing reciprocal pension arrangements with all countries which have no such agreement with the UK.

Stephen Timms: At 31 October 2005 approximately 510,000 UK state pensions were in payment to people residing outside the European economic area (EEA) in a country with which the UK do not have a reciprocal agreement covering the uprating of pensions.
	Benefits are normally uprated in April. The estimated cost of uprating these pensions from April 2006 is £20 million in 2006–07. This increases to £110 million by 2009–10 and with ongoing increases thereafter.
	If the rate paid was restored to that which would have been payable had the individuals concerned remained in the UK and arrears of benefit were paid in respect of earlier periods during which the pension had not been uprated—the cost would be in the region of £3 billion in 2006–07, with ongoing costs of £400 million per annum rising over subsequent years
	The UK state pension is currently paid in over 150 countries outside the EEA with which the UK do not have a reciprocal agreement covering the uprating of pensions. The fundamental requirements for any reciprocal agreement on the uprating of pensions are that the 'other' country has a system for paying the equivalent of the UK state pension and that there is reciprocity of costs. It is not possible to estimate the net costs of establishing reciprocal agreements as the Department do not hold information on:
	a) what (if any) pension systems exist in many of the countries in question; and
	b) the numbers of people resident in the UK who would as a result of reciprocal agreements become eligible for pensions under the systems of the countries in question.

Pension Commission

Malcolm Rifkind: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of the Pension Commission has been to date.

Stephen Timms: The Pensions Commission's estimated monthly average costs between April 2003 and September 2005 are as follows:
	
		£
		
			 Cost of:  
		
		
			 Pensions Commissioners' time 0 
			 Pensions Commission Secretariat staffing 33,000 
			 Pensions Commission non-staff costs 8,000 
			 Pensions Commission social research 8,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 1000.
	2. The Department meets the costs of general office overheads e.g. accommodation, IT etc. Consequently, these costs are not separately identifiable from DWP's running costs.

Recycled Paper

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much paper his Department used in each year since 1997; how much was recycled paper; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: Paper usage, for the Department for Work and Pensions, as reported in the Greening Government, and Sustainable Development in Government report, is summarised in the table.
	
		
			  Office paper (reams) Percentage of recycled paper Paper for printed publications (tonnes) Percentage of recycled paper 
		
		
			 2001–02 (16)1,330,392 1.35 (16)8,434 16 
			  (17)494,290 0.77 — — 
			 2002–03 1,933,634 3.17 5,164 41 
			 2003–04 2,149,853 5.3 5,655 4.2 
			 2004–05 1,908,633 10.85 (18)— (18)— 
		
	
	(16) DSS only.
	(17) ES.
	(18) Information not available.
	The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001 from the former Department of Social Security (DSS) and parts of the former Department for Education and Employment including the former Employment Service (ES).
	In September 2005 new contracts for stationery and paper for printed publications were let. This will make the use of recycled paper the standard across DWP.

Jobseeker's Allowance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the off-flow from jobseeker's allowance was in each year since 1997 for (a) the UK, (b) each region and (c) each parliamentary constituency, broken down by reason; and what percentage of jobseeker's allowance off-flow this represented in each case.

James Plaskitt: The information has been placed in the Library.

Unemployment

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many unemployed or economically inactive adults wanting to work (a) held a Level 2 qualification and (i) had and (ii) did not have a limiting longstanding health condition and (b) did not hold a Level 2 qualification and (A) had and (B) did not have a limiting longstanding health condition in (1) 1997 and (2) 2005.

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is in the following table:
	
		
			  1997 2005 
		
		
			 Number of unemployed or economically inactive adults wanting to work who held a Level 2 qualification or above 2,223,000 1,958,000 
			 Of these:   
			 Number of those with limiting longstanding health condition 259,000 292,000 
			 Number of those without a limiting longstanding health condition 1,964,000 1,666,000 
		
	
	
		
			  1997 2005 
		
		
			 Number of unemployed or economically inactive adults wanting to work who did not hold a Level 2 qualification 2,082,000 1,345,000 
			 Of these:   
			 Number of those with limiting longstanding health condition 411,000 321,000 
			 Number of those without a limiting longstanding health condition 1,671,000 1,024,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The figures are for Great Britain.
	2. The figures are based on ILO definitions of unemployment and economic inactivity.
	3. The economic inactive group includes students and retired people.
	Source:
	The 1997 Labour Force Survey (summer quarter) and the 2005 Labour Force Survey (summer quarter).

Unemployment

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the change was in claimant count unemployment attributable to (a) new claims and (b) changes in the duration of existing claims in each of the last 12 calendar months.

James Plaskitt: The information requested is in the following table.
	
		Unemployment claimant count September 2004 to September 2005
		
			  Claimant count Inflows—new claimants Stock—existing claimants Monthly change in claimant count Monthly change in inflows Change due to changes in duration 
		
		
			 September 2004 836,000 198,300 637,700 — — — 
			 October 2004 836,400 200,300 636,100 400 2,000 -1,600 
			 November 2004 831,900 198,900 633,000 -4,500 -1,400 -3,100 
			 December 2004 825,000 201,200 623,800 -6,900 2,300 -9,200 
			 January 2005 813,800 197,700 616,100 -11,200 -3,500 -7,700 
			 February 2005 817,700 201,500 616,200 3,900 3,800 100 
			 March 2005 831,300 203,900 627,400 13,600 2,400 11,200 
			 April 2005 842,100 204,400 637,700 10,800 500 10,300 
			 May 2005 856,100 211,700 644,400 14,000 7,300 6,700 
			 June 2005 863,200 204,900 658,300 7,100 -6,800 13,900 
			 July 2005 864,600 201,300 663,300 1,400 -3,600 5,000 
			 August 2005 867,300 202,400 664,900 2,700 1,100 1,600 
			 September 2005 875,500 197,600 677,900 8,200 -4,800 13,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are for UK, seasonally adjusted, and to the nearest 100.
	2. Inflows are standardised to a four 1/3 week month.
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics data (available at www.nomisweb.co.uk).

Widow's Benefit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will issue clear guidance on how claimants should claim widow's benefit following the European Court of Human Rights ruling.

James Plaskitt: We are unable to issue guidance for claims to widows' benefits from men. We introduced Bereavement Benefits from 9 April 2001 for both men and women but before this date there was no provision for the payment of widows' benefits to men. This remains the case today.
	On 5 May 2005 the House of Lords unanimously rejected widowers' claims concerning payment of widows' payment and widowed mothers' allowance before April 2001. They also found the Government to be justified in not paying Widows Pension to widowers
	Any application for widows' payment or widowed mothers' allowance from a man whose wife died before 9 April 2001 and who either has not made an application to the European Court of Human Rights or was not part of proceedings in the domestic courts will now be too late.

Mental Health (Employment)

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had on helping those with mental health problems to find work.

Margaret Hodge: There are ongoing discussions with officials, lobby groups and our voluntary community and private sector partners about how we can do more to help people with mental health problems find work. We will ensure that the needs of this group are considered as part of our wider welfare reform plans.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Asylum Seekers

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many legal aid franchises in asylum work were operating in (a) England and Wales and (b) the Yorkshire and Humberside region in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Bridget Prentice: The information is as follows:
	(a) The numbers of immigration asylum and non-asylum legal aid franchises in England and Wales are as follows:
	
		
			 April to March each year Franchises 
		
		
			 2000–01 545 
			 2001–02 591 
			 2002–03 644 
			 2003–04 604 
			 2004–05 491 
			 2005-To date 398 
		
	
	(b) The numbers of immigration and asylum legal aid franchises in the Yorkshire and Humberside region are as follows:
	
		
			 April to March each year Franchises 
		
		
			 2000–01 32 
			 2001–02 32 
			 2002–03 33 
			 2003–04 31 
			 2004–05 25 
			 2005-To date 15

Asylum Seekers

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps are being taken by the Legal Services Commission to ensure adequate legal advice for asylum seekers in the Yorkshire and Humberside region.

Bridget Prentice: There are currently 15 specialist providers of immigration and asylum services across the Yorkshire and Humberside region funded by the Legal Services Commission (LSC), working across 19 different locations.
	The LSC recognises that there is currently an imbalance between the adequacy of legal advice provision in the South Yorkshire and Humber area as compared to West Yorkshire, with a degree of unmet need occurring in South Yorkshire and Humber.
	As a result, the LSC is currently tendering for 3,335 additional New Matter Starts, which increases the amount of legal aid work suppliers can do to match demand, in immigration to ensure adequate provision of publicly funded immigration and asylum services across the Yorkshire region. The emphasis will be on Hull for the Humber area, and on Sheffield for the South Yorkshire area.
	In addition, the LSC has worked with the Immigration Advisory Service (IAS), a national supplier of legal services, to establish an outreach service run in conjunction with members of the local Community Legal Service Partnership. This service has been extremely successful and has recently extended its availability to two days per week.

Coroners

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to her answer of 2 November 2005, Official Report, column 1164W, when she expects to make a statement on reforms of the coroners' system.

Harriet Harman: I expect to make a statement in early 2006.

Electoral Administration Bill

Andrew Turner: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will place in the Library annotated copies of Acts proposed to be substantially amended by the Electoral Administration Bill, showing in each (a) the omissions and (b) the additions proposed by the Bill.

Harriet Harman: The only Act that is substantially amended by the Electoral Administration Bill is the Representation of the People Act 1983 (RPA). A Keeling schedule for the RPA, setting out the amendments proposed in the Bill, is available on the DCA website at http://www.dca.gov.uk/legist/keeling.htm and will be placed in the Commons Library.

Electoral Administration Bill

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 October 2005, Official Report, column 752W, on the Electoral Administration Bill, if she will deposit copies of the responses received by her Department in the Library.

Harriet Harman: I will be happy to place the responses in the Library once I have confirmed with the authors that they are content for me to do so.

Entry Clearance

Tony Baldry: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when Balvir Kamar reference IMM/ECR/1195812/OJ/NS will receive notification of his application for entry clearance.

Bridget Prentice: Checks with officials at UK Visas have confirmed that that the reference provided in the question relates to an appeal from a Balvir Kaur, and not the name provided.
	Officials at the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) have confirmed that the appeal of Balvir Kaur has been received from the diplomatic post, processed and allocated a case number. The appeal will be allocated a hearing date before an Immigration Judge within the next 10 working days which will be confirmed to all parties to the appeal in writing.

Entry Clearance

Tony Baldry: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when Muhammad Shabir (reference 973021) will receive notification of appeal for entry clearance.

Bridget Prentice: The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) has confirmed that the appeal for Muhammad Shabir, matching the reference provided in the question, has been received from the diplomatic post, processed and allocated a case number. The appeal has been listed for a substantive hearing before an Immigration Judge on 2 December 2005 with a notice of hearing confirming this date sent to all parties to the appeal.

Freedom of Information

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 have been submitted to the Central Clearing House in each month since the inception of that unit, broken down by public authority.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 7 November 2005
	The Access to Information Central Clearing House received 3,006 referrals between 1 January and 31 October 2005.
	I will write to my hon. Friend providing a full response to his question breaking down this volume of referrals both by month and department and copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

IT Projects

David Laws: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many IT projects have been developed for her Department since 2001; and whether she has agreed to make public the Gateway Reviews for these projects (a) in full and (b) in part.

Bridget Prentice: In common with any large organisation, IT based change projects in my Department range in scale from the very small (say simply involving a small number of new PCs) to those having strategic importance for the Department as a whole. In the strategic group, there have been three change programmes: Libra (covering the magistrates courts); CTMP (covering the Crown court and county court) and ARAMIS (covering headquarters areas).
	The basis of Gateway Review is that they are conducted on a confidential basis for the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO). This is to promote an open and honest exchange between the programme/project teams and review teams. For this reason, gateway reports are not routinely published by my Department.
	In line with the Freedom of Information Act, requests for disclosure of Gateway reviews are dealt with on a case by case basis. Of the three DCA programmes, one gateway review—the Libra Gate 3 review report—has, in part, been released.

Parliamentary Constituencies

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what new parliamentary constituencies the Government expect to be in operation following the reviews made by the Boundary Commission for England.

Harriet Harman: The final report of the Boundary Commission in relation to parliamentary constituencies in England has yet to be published. The Boundary Commission for England is an independent body and the Government cannot comment on any potential final recommendations at this stage.

Parliamentary Constituencies

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when the Government expect to lay the draft order implementing the recommendations of the Boundary Commission for England in relation to changes to parliamentary boundaries.

Harriet Harman: The final report of the Boundary Commission in relation to parliamentary constituencies in England has yet to be published. The report and draft order will be laid before Parliament as soon as practicable after they have been submitted to the Secretary of State.

Skills for Life Strategy

Nick Gibb: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs which individual is responsible for developing and implementing her Department's Skills for Life strategy.

Bridget Prentice: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Barrow and Furness (Mr. Hutton) on 2 November 2005, Official Report, column 1074W.

HEALTH

Nursing Degrees (Placements)

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures she is taking to ensure that satisfactory placements are available to students studying for degrees in nursing.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 27 October 2005
	This is a matter for higher education institutions in discussion with the national health service. Strategic health authorities continue to work with the NHS and higher education partners to ensure that there are high quality placements for the number of nursing students in training. The provision and quality of clinical placements are also important elements of the new national contract for commissioning nurse training.

Ambulance Service Trusts (West Midlands)

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on (a) administration and (b) management costs by each NHS ambulance service trust in the West Midlands area, expressed (i) as a percentage of their total budgets and (ii) as the cost per head of population in the areas they cover, in the latest year for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested for 2004–05, the latest available year, is shown in the following table.
	
		Administration and management costs by national health service ambulance trust in the West Midlands, 2004–05
		
			 NHS/ambulance trust name Management costs £ thousand Management costs as a percentage of turnover 
		
		
			 Coventry and Warwickshire Ambulance NHS Trust 1,051 4.6 
			 Hereford and Worcester Ambulance NHS Trust 1,090 6.6 
			 Staffordshire Ambulance Service Trust 1,757 7.0 
			 West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust 3,410 5.7 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Administration costs are not identified separately so all information given relates to management costs only.
	2. It is not possible to provide 'cost per head of population' for NHS ambulance trusts as the Department does not maintain trust population figures.
	3. 'Total budget' has been interpreted as total income (turnover) for NHS ambulance trusts.
	4. 'West Midlands area' has been interpreted as the area covered by the Shropshire and Staffordshire, Birmingham and Black Country and West Midlands South strategic health authorities.
	Source:
	Audited summarisation schedules of the named trusts.

Avian Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to support research into (a) a vaccine for the H5N1 strain of avian flu, (b) drugs to treat a potential influenza pandemic and (c) enhanced diagnostic techniques to identify and research new infections; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 20 October 2005
	The Department is currently finalising a strategy that will ensure that its vaccine, anti-viral and diagnosis related research activities are in line with those of other research funders in the United Kingdom, in Europe and in North America. To that end, the Medical Research Council will hold a workshop in December to identify particular strategic research needs for pandemic influenza. When this consultation process is complete, we will be in a position to commission high quality research that is both applicable to the needs of the UK and coordinated with the efforts of other countries.
	The strategy will build on the body of Government funded research completed in the recent past and currently underway. This includes, for example, a £400,000 study commissioned by the Department into the optimum dose and dosing schedule for influenza vaccine when given to people for the first time.

Avian Influenza

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the likelihood of the strain of avian influenza found in Turkey mutating to a human virus.

Rosie Winterton: We seek advice on threat assessments of avian influenza from the World Health Organisation (WHO). The strain of avian influenza in Turkey is very similar to that currently circulating in South East Asia. The WHO advised in May that the viruses are continuing to evolve and pose a continuing and potentially growing pandemic threat. It is monitoring the situation but has not raised the alert level.
	Experts are concerned that the H5N1 virus has demonstrated the ability to jump the species barrier to cause disease and death in humans, but there is no confirmed evidence of person to person transmission of this virus. Thus, the risk of a human pandemic of H5N1 is considered to be low.

Avian Influenza

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the UK plans to provide assistance to countries that may be affected by avian influenza variants at an earlier stage than the UK, including by providing supplies of vaccines.

Rosie Winterton: The United Kingdom is working with international partners, including the European Union and the World Health Organisation (WHO), to enhance global preparedness for an influenza pandemic. We have already contributed £500,000 to the WHO to improve surveillance in South East Asia.
	The WHO is securing three million courses of antiviral drugs as part of the immediate response to a pandemic. These drugs may help to contain an emerging pandemic virus or slow its spread.
	Any requests for UK contributions to expand the WHO stockpile, or for vaccine when it becomes available, will be considered on a case by case basis.

Avian Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her statement of 17 October 2005, Official Report, column 629, on Avian influenza, what total funding has been provided to test NHS plans for an influenza pandemic locally; where this funding has been allocated; and what further spending she anticipates to ensure NHS bodies contingency plans will be effective in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Rosie Winterton: The development and testing of local plans to deal with an influenza pandemic, takes place within the existing resources available to national health service bodies.

Blood Donation (Leeds)

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will allocate further resources to encourage people in Leeds, North-West to give blood.

Liam Byrne: NHS Blood and Transplant Authority (NHSBT) is responsible for managing blood supplies in England and North Wales. NHSBT blood stocks are currently satisfactory and are meeting demands from hospitals. In fact, every hospital demand in the last six years has been met.
	NHSBT plans the resources required to meet demand for blood in advance, and continually reviews and redistributes stock across the country, as necessary. At present no additional resources are required to maintain adequate blood stocks. Maintaining blood stocks and raising awareness among blood donors, is carried out through a range of marketing and communication techniques.

Breast Screening

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received on the breast screening results from Epping hospital; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: There have been no representations to Secretary of State for Health on breast screening results from Epping hospital.

Cancer

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will discuss the effectiveness of Herceptin on early stage treatment of breast cancer with the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Rosie Winterton: My right hon. Friend has no plans to discuss the effectiveness of Herceptin with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland. Both have announced plans for the managed introduction of Herceptin once it is licensed.

Cancer

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which groups are typically under-represented in the NHS routine breast cancer screening programme; and what steps she is taking to increase the uptake of routine breast cancer screening among these groups.

Rosie Winterton: Evidence shows that groups who are less likely to attend for screening are those who live in deprived areas and women from some ethnic minority groups.
	We have taken a number of steps to encourage those women who are under represented to attend for screening. These include:
	The leaflet, Breast Screening: The Facts", which is sent out with every invitation for screening, has been translated into 19 languages.
	Many primary care trusts, particularly those in inner-city areas, have local initiatives in place, such as screening in community centres to encourage local women to attend their appointments.
	In 2003, national health service cancer screening programmes published Inequalities of Access to Cancer Screening: A Literature Review" and they have appointed a member of staff who is responsible for implementing the review's recommendations.
	A communications pack, designed to raise awareness and increase the number of women attending for screening, has been issued to all local NHS breast cancer screening programmes.

Cancer

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received from (a) NHS organisations and (b) other interested parties on failures to ensure that the three-year interval for screening under the NHS routine breast cancer screening programme is being met.

Rosie Winterton: The National Health Service Cancer Plan, published in 2000, stated that we would extend invitations for breast screening to women aged 65 to 70 and introduce two-view mammography at all screening rounds. Over 98 per cent. of local screening programmes have now implemented these changes. However, the changes together represent a 40 per cent. increase in the workload of the programme. We are aware that this has had an impact on some services maintaining the three-year interval for screening and we are taking steps to bring all screening intervals back to three years.

Cancer

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department has taken to produce culturally-sensitive breast cancer awareness information in a variety of formats and languages.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 3 November 2005
	It is important that all women are breast aware and report any changes to their doctors. That is why in 1999 we produced the leaflet, Be Breast Aware", in collaboration with Cancer Research UK, giving advice on this issue. The leaflet has been translated into Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Polish, Punjabi, Urdu, Vietnamese, Greek, Hindi and Turkish. Over 3 million copies of the leaflet have been distributed since 1999, over 200,000 of which were in the translated versions.
	In addition to the standard print versions, the Department is committed to providing alternative publication services and we supply on-demand to all requests for alternative formats, such as Braille, audio-tape and large print.

Cancer

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost per capita was of treating cancer in England in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: We do not hold information about the proportion of national health service expenditure spent on treating cancer patients. It is for individual primary care trusts to decide the level of funding they allocate to cancer services for their population.

Cancer

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the implications of the development of a vaccine for the virus which causes cervical cancer for the cervical cancer screening programme.

Rosie Winterton: The vaccines in development are a preventative measure; however, they are only effective against approximately 80 per cent. of human papilloma viruses thought to be linked to cancer; they need to be given to women and girls before they become sexually active and we do not yet know how long they are effective for. We would therefore expect little or no effect on the cervical screening programme for a decade or more after the introduction of any vaccination programme.
	Cervical screening currently remains the most effective way of preventing cervical cancer and the programme continues to encourage strongly all women between 25 and 64 to attend for regular screening when invited. The programme also continues to strive to improve its high quality, world-leading service through new research and developments in technology that could benefit both women and staff.

Cancer

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to fund the provision of HER2 testing for the suitability of Herceptin to all women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer.

Rosie Winterton: In this financial year, the funding for the provision of HER2 testing will have to come from existing budgets. However, Roche, the manufacturer of Herceptin, has undertaken to assist cancer networks in ensuring that high quality testing arrangements are put in place, for example through the provision of training for laboratory staff.

Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the UK's financial contribution to the cost of running the EU's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use was in each of the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency does not make any direct financial contribution to the European Medicines Agency for the cost of running the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, now known as the Committee on Human Medicinal Products.

Dentistry

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she plans to publish her Department's response to the Primary Care Dental Salaried Services Review; and if she will make a statement on the reason for the time taken to do so.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 31 October 2005
	Plans for publication of the response to the review of salaried dentists in primary care have not been finalised. We are currently considering the significant issues raised by the review's proposed reform of the career structure of the salaried services.

Dentistry

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 205W, on NHS dentistry, how many patients were registered with an NHS dentist in each primary care trust in (a) 2002–03, (b) 2003–04 and (c) 2004–05, excluding those patients who pay for the whole of their treatment.

Rosie Winterton: The relevant available information was placed in the Library. We have updated the information up to September 2005 and this has been placed in the Library.
	The Department does not collect data on those patients who pay for the whole of their treatment because these are private patients.

Departmental Consultation

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list formal consultations being sponsored by her Department and its agencies; and what the (a) commencement date and (b) deadline for responses is in each case.

Jane Kennedy: The table shows the 10 public written consultations currently being undertaken by the Department. The Department does not gather or hold information about consultations carried out separately by its executive agencies or other arm's length bodies.
	All current and closed consultations are listed on the Department's website at
	www.dh.gov.uk/Consultations.
	
		
			 Department/ agency Title of consultation Commencement date Deadline for responses 
		
		
			 Department of Health (DH) Arrangements for the provision of dressings, incontinence appliances, stoma appliances, chemical reagents and other appliances to primary and secondary care 24 October 2005 23 January 2006 
			 DH Proposed changes to the regulatory framework for adult social care services 14 October 2005 14 January 2006 
			 DH European Commission proposal for a programme of community action in the field of health and consumer protection 2007–13 10 October 2005 6 January 2006 
			 DH Consultation on the future governance arrangements for the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control 10 October 2005 31 December 2005 
			 DH The acutely or critically sick or injured child in the District General Hospital: a team response 15 August 2005 31 December 2005 
			 DH Draft Revised Colorectal Measures for the Manual for Cancer Services 2004 30 September 2005 30 December 2005 
			 DH Proposals to simplify the reimbursement arrangements for NHS dispensing contractors: a consultation 7 September 2005 30 November 2005 
			 DH Review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act: a public consultation 16 August 2005 25 November 2005 
			 DH Your Health, Your Care, Your Say 12 September 2005 04 November 2005 
			 DH Code of Conduct for Payment by Results: draft for consultation 4 August 2005 4 November 2005

Generic Medicines

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent assessment she has made of the reimbursement scheme to pharmacists for the supply of Category M generic medicines; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the price differential between generic medicines obtained via NHS prescription and those available over-the-counter in supermarkets; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The newly introduced category M of generic medicines has two objectives: to reduce the cost of annual reimbursement to community pharmacy in England by £300 million and to set reimbursement prices of individual medicines in a manner which reflects the underlying market prices. This category of the tariff is recalculated quarterly in the light of the best estimate of the achieved reduction in cost: in that sense, the area is reviewed quarterly and is meeting its objectives.
	Category M reimbursement prices are reflective of the underlying market prices and are intentionally set at a level which leaves unrecovered discount available to community pharmacies as part of the new pharmacy contractual framework. The prices of over-the-counter medicines are determined by a consumer market in which the Department has no economic locus. There is, therefore, little expectation that prices of medicines available over the counter would coincide with the category M reimbursement prices.

Hand Gels

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the level of use of hand gels by health professionals in hospitals for the purposes of infection control.

Jane Kennedy: The cleanyourhands" campaign was launched in September 2004 and aims to improve hand hygiene compliance by national health service staff through the use of alcohol handrub. Product consumption (usage) levels are being recorded for all trusts ordering their handrub product through the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency/logistics route and a 65 per cent. increase in handrub consumption occurred from September 2004 to September 2005.

Health Care Recruitment

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions she has had with the private sector on signing up to the code of practice on the International Recruitment of Healthcare Professionals.

Liam Byrne: I have had no such recent discussions.

Health Care Recruitment

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health care professionals originally from developing countries continued to work in the NHS after their temporary contracts ran out in each year since 2001 for which records are available.

Liam Byrne: This information is not collected centrally.

Health Care Recruitment

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the NHS has used healthcare recruitment agencies based outside the UK for the recruitment of healthcare professionals from developing countries since the code of practice was agreed.

Liam Byrne: NHS Employers is responsible for monitoring the code of practice and maintaining the register. No information is available centrally regarding contracts between agencies which have signed up to the code of practice and the national health service.

Hospices

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will (a) increase financial support for and (b) promote the expansion of the hospice movement.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 2 November 2005
	Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible within the national health service for commissioning and funding services for their resident population, including palliative care. The Government have met their commitment in the NHS Cancer Plan to invest an extra £50 million per annum in specialist palliative care. Over half of this additional funding went to the voluntary sector, mainly hospices, in 2003–04. PCTs, having assessed their local priorities, can invest more. This investment must be in line with local strategic plans and an assessment of need, which may, or may not indicate the need to provide more specialist palliative care beds.

Hospital Beds

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital beds there were in each health trust in Suffolk in each of the last three years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Average daily number of available(19) beds 2002–03 to 2004–05
		
			 Primary care trust (PCT)/national health service trust 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Suffolk West PCT 29 30 19 
			 Central Suffolk PCT 86 86 43 
			 Ipswich PCT - 15 15 
			 Suffolk Coastal PCT 122 122 105 
			 Waveney PCT 69 69 58 
			 Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust 767 782 756 
			 Local Health Partnerships NHS Trust 432 410 408 
			 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 638 676 631 
		
	
	(19) Includes occupied and unoccupied beds.
	Source:
	Department of Health form KH03.

Hospital Construction

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the building of a new hospital in Hatfield depends on East and North Hertfordshire NHS trust balancing its budget in 2005 to 2008.

Rosie Winterton: Performance against the break-even duty must be achieved over the medium term, such that an organisation with a deficit in any year must plan to return to break-even and clear its accumulated deficit within three years, or exceptionally five years.
	In any period in which a trust reports a deficit, it is required to have an agreed recovery plan in place to restore financial balance. Such a plan might include postponement of capital investment or postponement of private finance initiative (PFI) developments that are being worked up, but there is no requirement that recovery plans must envisage postponement of investment decisions.
	Before a large and complex scheme, such as that in development by East and North Hertfordshire national health service trust can advertise in the Official Journal of the European Union for potential PFI partners, it must demonstrate convincingly in its outline business case (OBC) that it will be able to afford its scheme.
	It is therefore conceivable that, in the year in which the OBC is submitted, the trust could still have a deficit, but it would have to demonstrate that it had a robust financial plan both to recover its deficit and go on to afford the eventual unitary payment of its scheme. It would also need to demonstrate an ability to achieve its financial plans.
	PFI contractors will have their own financial criteria that they expect a NHS trust to meet before they will have sufficient confidence to bid for its scheme. We would expect these to be no less stringent than the above.

Infection Control Report

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will monitor levels of co-operation by NHS trusts with the director of infection control in enabling publication of her annual report by the deadline announced.

Jane Kennedy: Winning Ways", published in December 2003, asked all national health service organisations to appoint a director of infection prevention and control (DIPC). However, the Department will not be monitoring the reports from DIPCs, as effective assessment would depend upon local knowledge. Under the proposals to strengthen measures to tackle healthcare associated infections set out in the Health Bill, the Healthcare Commission will take on the responsibility for ensuring compliance with the new code of practice. DIPCs will be key in implementing this code.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she intends to quantify available critical care capacity in the independent sector; and if she will secure agreements with independent sector providers to secure this capacity for NHS use in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Rosie Winterton: The amount of critical care capacity in the private sector has not been quantified. Under the local health community emergency plans, if the level of a future influenza pandemic warrants it, the command arrangements that are already in place can enable the use of any health facility including the independent sector and private nursing homes.

Influenza

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the take-up rate for influenza vaccinations was in each (a) strategic health authority and (b) primary care trust in England in each year since 2002–03.

Caroline Flint: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether (a) healthcare workers, (b) Government Ministers and other officials and (c) other workers in key industries will be given priority treatment with antivirals in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Rosie Winterton: As the stockpile is intended to be large enough to cover all those likely to be infected, the issue of prioritisation between competing claims for the drugs ought not to arise.
	We are aware of the possibility that a pandemic may strike before the antiviral stockpile is complete and our antiviral storage and distribution framework takes this into account. Antivirals will need to be prioritised, initially to healthcare workers and to those who fall into one of the 'clinical at risk' groups (as defined for seasonal 'flu).

Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what restrictions her Department plans to place on the movement of the public in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Rosie Winterton: In the event of a pandemic, the Department will issue advice to the public. It will continue to keep the situation under review, taking account both of the circumstances at the time and of advice from the World Health Organization.

Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action her Department is taking to help ensure other countries are (a) prepared for an influenza pandemic and (b) able to stockpile antiviral drugs; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Department is working closely with other countries and international organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union (EU). We are sharing information through events such as the pandemic influenza workshop, jointly hosted by WHO and the EU in Copenhagen. We are engaged in the development of the United States of America initiative for an international partnership on avian and pandemic flu and are contributing to the meeting in Geneva co-hosted by WHO, Food and Agriculture Organisation, World Organisation for Animal Health on 7–9 November. The United Kingdom will continue to work with WHO, fellow EU member states, the European Commission and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and with other internal partners to support international preparedness.
	In addition, the UK has provided £500,000 to the WHO to enhance international influenza surveillance in South East Asia.
	The WHO has secured 3 million treatment centres of antiviral drugs for international use. These could be used to try to slow down or prevent the spread of a pandemic virus in the country of source. Any requests for UK contributions to expand the WHO stockpile will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when she plans to publish (a) clinical management guidelines for patients suffering from pandemic influenza and (b) infection control guidelines in the event of an influenza pandemic;
	(2)  when her Department plans to publish (a) the clinical management guidelines to help inform management of patients suffering from pandemic influenza and (b) the infection control guidelines for an influenza pandemic.

Rosie Winterton: Clinical management guidelines have been developed with the Health Protection Agency (HPA) and the British Thoracic Society to help inform management of patients suffering from pandemic flu. We have also produced infection control guidelines with the HPA. Both sets of guidelines are available on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/pandemicflu.

Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what auditing measures her Department has undertaken to ensure that (a) primary care trusts, (b) local authorities and (c) NHS trusts are prepared for an influenza pandemic.

Rosie Winterton: The Department published the revised, UK Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan" on 19 October, which will inform the work undertaken at local and national levels to prepare for an influenza pandemic. We also produced in May 2005, Operational Guidance for National Health Service planners on preparing for an influenza pandemic to inform local plans.
	The Department is putting in place procedures to ensure that NHS organisations' plans can be audited for assurance of their capability in planning for and responding to, an influenza pandemic.
	In addition, pandemic influenza exercise programmes have taken place around the country which have enabled NHS organisations to test the plans they have in place. The Health Protection Agency has also developed an off the shelf exercise package for use in testing influenza pandemic preparedness plans.

Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who the Department's pandemic co-ordinator for an influenza pandemic is.

Rosie Winterton: The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, is the Department of Health's pandemic influenza coordinator.

Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans her Department has to stockpile influenza drugs other than Tamiflu; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: We are stockpiling 14.6 million treatment courses of Tamiflu, which should be sufficient to treat those who may fall ill in an influenza pandemic. There are currently no plans to procure a stockpile of other antiviral drugs, but we are keeping the options under constant review.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers she has, and under which legislation (a) to prevent large public gatherings, (b) to close football matches and other similar sporting events characterised by mass attendance and (c) to prevent movement of people across large geographical distances in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Rosie Winterton: As explained in The UK Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan" (Annex E, paragraphs 8–10), there are powers in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 which could be used in the event of an emergency.
	Those powers are designed to allow the Government to respond quickly and effectively to the most serious emergencies where existing powers prove to be insufficient. There can be no automatic assumption that the Civil Contingency Act powers would need to be used in the event of an influenza pandemic.
	Any use of emergency powers must satisfy a range of robust legal safeguards that ensure their use would be tailored to the specific circumstances at hand. It is therefore not possible, and would be potentially misleading, to comment on any specific measures that could be taken using emergency powers in the event of a pandemic: it would depend on the specific circumstances prevailing at the time.

Influenza

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government have taken to respond to an influenza pandemic.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 3 November 2005
	I refer my hon. Friend to the oral statement given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 17 October 2005, Official Report, columns 629–38 and to the written statement I gave on 19 October 2005, Official Report, columns 57–58WS.

Lupus

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been allocated over the past five years (a) to raise awareness of Lupus and (b) for research into effective treatment.

Liam Byrne: It is for primary care trusts to decide how to spend the funding allocations they are given in he light of local needs and priorities. Information on the amount spent on raising awareness of lupus is not held centrally.
	The NHS Direct website contains specific information on lupus. The musculoskeletal framework, a best practice guide to supporting people with musculoskeletal conditions, will be published later this year. This will do much to raise awareness amongst health professionals and the general public for all musculoskeletal conditions, including lupus.
	The main part of the Department's expenditure on health research is allocated to, and managed by, national health service organisations. Details of individual projects supported in the NHS, including a significant number concerned with lupus, are to be found on the national research register at www.dh.gov.uk/research. The Medical Research Council, an independent body funded by the Department of Trade and Industry via the Office of Science and Technology, also funds medical research. It is not possible to identify the total amount spent on research into the treatment of lupus.

Macular Holes

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to improve the standard of care offered to those suffering from a macular hole.

Rosie Winterton: The vast majority of individuals with macular hole have their condition diagnosed by an optometrist during a routine sight test. Sight tests are free under the national health service to people aged 60 and over, children, individuals at particular risk of eye disease and those on a low income. Individuals who are identified as requiring further investigation can now be referred directly to hospital following an NHS funded sight test.
	There is only one proven treatment for individuals diagnosed with macular hole and that is surgery. This is available in most large eye units that provide vitreoretinal surgery.
	The Department has put a number of measures in place aimed at reducing waiting times in the NHS. By the end of 2005, no patient will have to wait more than 13 weeks for an out-patient appointment or more than six months for surgery, and most waits will be much shorter than this.
	In many cases, surgery can stop the visual disturbances getting worse and can help sight to recover to a high standard. The final visual outcome, however, will depend on the size of the hole that has been treated. For those individuals whose sight is still affected after surgery, low vision aids may be of help. The NHS hospital eye service provides optical devices and loans low vision aids, such as high-powered reading lenses, hand-held and stand magnifiers and telescopes, to people with visual impairment. In addition, some primary care trusts have local arrangements for the provision of low vision aids through community based opticians.

Macular Holes

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished episodes of care relating to the treatment of macular holes there have been in each year since 1997; and what the (a) mean and (b) median waiting time was in each year.

Rosie Winterton: The following table shows the number of finished in-year admission episodes and the mean and median waiting times for those individuals whose primary diagnosis was degeneration of the macular and posterior pole.
	
		Count of finished consultant episodes, mean and median time waited in days, national health service hospitals, England 1997–98 to 2003–04
		
			  Finished in-year admission episodes Mean waiting time in days Median waiting time in days 
		
		
			 1997–98 2,825 58 40 
			 1998–99 2,972 57 35 
			 1999–2000 2,766 60 34 
			 2000–01 2,666 64 37 
			 2001–02 3,206 55 30 
			 2002–03 2,909 67 36 
			 2003–04 3,325 65 40 
		
	
	Note:
	A finished in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1 April at the start of the data year. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.

Mental Health

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been allocated to preventative and early intervention services for children's mental health disorders in (a) Normanton constituency, (b) Wakefield East primary care trust (PCT), (c) Wakefield West PCT, (d) Wakefield district and (e) West Yorkshire in 2005–06.

Liam Byrne: Funding is allocated directly to primary care trust (PCTs). It is for PCTs, in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.
	The table shows the funding allocations made to the West Yorkshire PCTs, including Eastern Wakefield PCT and Wakefield West PCT, for 2005–06 to 2007–08.
	
		£000
		
			  Allocations 
			 West Yorkshire PCTs 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 
		
		
			 Airedale 122,014 147,328 159,132 
			 Bradford City 160,758 195,932 214,724 
			 Bradford South and West 158,353 192,836 210,881 
			 Calderdale 215,534 254,621 275,396 
			 East Leeds 179,743 212,695 230,027 
			 Eastern Wakefield 208,492 255,393 283,337 
			 Huddersfield Central 144,457 172,344 186,412 
			 Leeds North East 160,333 192,073 207,743 
			 Leeds North West 172,126 208,941 228,463 
			 Leeds West 123,183 145,982 157,882 
			 North Bradford 98,680 119,364 129,248 
			 North Kirklees 178,807 215,698 236,133 
			 South Huddersfield 80,382 97,051 104,967 
			 South Leeds 163,518 192,333 208,252 
			 Wakefield West 156,303 189,155 205,849 
			 Total 2,322,682 2,791,746 3,038,445

Motor Neurone Disease

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her policy is on the availability of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation to motor neurone disease sufferers.

Liam Byrne: Data on non-invasive ventilation for patients with motor neurone disease are not collected by the Department.
	A team from University College London and the University of Newcastle upon Tyne have been chosen to lead a £20 million initiative to speed up the development of new medical treatments for dementia and neurodegenerative disease. The team will co-ordinate a network of national health service staff and resources across the country to expand the number and range of clinical trials of medical treatments for neurodegenerative diseases including motor neurone disease.
	The network will offer unprecedented opportunities to bring the latest clinical treatments and trials to people in the United Kingdom. The new scheme will operate in close partnership with patient organisations to ensure that we are addressing the research questions that are of most importance to patients.

MS Therapy Centres

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on proposals for inspection charges for multiple sclerosis therapy centres.

Jane Kennedy: I am satisfied that multiple sclerosis therapy centres should continue to be subject to the Healthcare Commission's regulatory regime. The Commission is developing costed options for regulating independent healthcare providers, including multiple sclerosis therapy centres. I expect these options to reflect the risk-based approach to inspection which the Commission has been developing. The Commission intends to consult on its proposals shortly.

NHS Budgets (Oxford)

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will visit Oxford to assess the impact of changes proposed in (a) mental healthcare and (b) other local NHS budgets.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 19 October 2005
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State currently has no plans to visit Oxford, as her autumn schedule is now fixed. If my right hon. Friend would like to invite the Secretary of State for a visit then a formal request should be sent to the ministerial visits Unit room 448 Richmond House, 79 Whitehall, London SW1A 2NS, for consideration.

NHS Commissioning

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps she is taking under the reforms proposed by commissioning a patient-led NHS to provide for the employment and management of those primary care trust staff and functions which do not form part of the management and delivery of out-sourced commissioning.
	(2)  what guidance she plans to issue on the procedures for bidding for the provision of management and delivery of commissioning in Oxfordshire.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 17 October 2005
	Strategic health authorities are expected to provide proposals for local commissioning arrangements to the Department by 15 October. A human resources framework for dealing with any subsequent organisational change will be published in due course. All proposals including staff implications will be subject to full local consultation. Once final decisions have been taken the Department will consider what guidance is needed.

NHS Deficits

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total deficit is for all strategic health authorities, primary care trusts and other NHS trusts in England brought forward from 2004–05, broken down by (a) authority and (b) trust; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The national health service as a whole ended 2004–05 with an overall deficit of around £250 million, or 0.4 percent., of available resources. Information on the 2004–05 financial position of individual NHS organisations—strategic health authorities, primary care trusts and NHS trusts—has been placed in the Library. It is also available on the Department's website at
	http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/FreedomOfInformation/ClassesOfInformation/fs/en.
	This information shows those NHS organisations that reported an overspend in 2004–05.

NHS Trusts (Sickness Absence)

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the rate of employee absence due to sickness at (a) Dacorum Primary Care Trust and (b) West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust has been in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The table shows the sickness and absence rates for Dacorum Primary Care Trust (PCT) and West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust. The sickness and absence data goes back to 2000 and all figures between 2000 and 2004 have been included where available. There are no figures for 2000 for Dacorum PCT, which only came into being in 2001.
	
		Sickness and absence rates for Dacorum PCT and West Hertfordshire hospitals national health service trust, 2000–04
		
			   Sickness absence rate (percentage) 
			 Organisation name  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 RWG West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 4.7 4.6 4.9 5.0 4.9 
			 5GW Dacorum PCT (20)— 4.7 4.1 5.1 6.3 
			 England  4.7 4.8 4.6 4.7 4.6 
		
	
	(20) The organisation did not exist in that particular year.
	Notes:
	1. Sickness absence rate is defined as the amount of time lost through absences as a percentage of staff time available.
	2. This does not cover maternity leave, carers' leave or any periods of absence agreed under family friendly/flexible working policies.
	3. General practitioners and their staff are not included in the above figures. The overall England figures are estimates, as some organisations in the NHS did not provide figures for sickness absence.
	Source:
	NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre sickness absence surveys, 2000–2004.

PET Scanners

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many PET scanners are operated by NHS acute trusts, broken down by location; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: There are five positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scanners and one PET scanner currently operated by national health service trusts.
	Two PET-CT scanners are jointly owned and managed by Guy's and St. Thomas's NHS Trust and King's College London. University College London Hospital NHS Trust, the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust (NHSFT), and University Hospital Birmingham NHSFT also have PET-CT scanners. The one PET scanner is at Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust.
	On 11 October 2005, the Department published A Framework for the Development of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Services in England". The intention of the framework is to provide guidance to commissioners and potential service providers on the development of services and to ensure that there is equitable access to scans for cancer patients across the country.
	While there are a number of NHS and NHS/independent sector (IS) partnership schemes in development, it has been recognised that there is unequal access to current provision. To address this, £20 million capital funding will be made available to the NHS over two years for investment in PET-CT scanners. An additional 25,000 scans will be purchased annually over five years from the IS as part of the wider IS diagnostic procurement.

Podiatry

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps are being taken to ensure that the matching of job descriptions to pay bands in podiatry is consistent throughout England;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the consistency of pay banding for podiatry staff, with particular reference to new posts across different primary care trusts; what assessment she has made of the effects of differences in pay banding on recruitment; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: A full range of national profiles has been produced, covering podiatry posts from band two through to band nine.
	A national computer-aided job evaluation system has been purchased to support organisations in applying the scheme consistently throughout England and the job evaluation group, a subgroup of the NHS Staff Council, has responsibility for production of the national profiles. This group consists of representatives from both staff and management side. Job profiles are based on current jobs in the service and profiles are subject to consultation with a wider reference group prior to being agreed for publication by the executive of the NHS Staff Council. Where a post locally does not match a national profile, local evaluation will take place based on the same national health service job evaluation scheme.
	Individual NHS employers ultimately are responsible for consistency checking for their organisation based on the agreed national guidance, but this is supported by both national and strategic health authority-level processes.

Premature Births

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many babies were born prematurely in England in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many babies were born at (a) under 24 weeks, (b) 24 to 28 weeks, (c) 28 to 32 weeks and (d) 32 to 37 weeks in England in each year since 1997.

Liam Byrne: The available information is published in table 21 of the statistical bulletin NHS Maternity Statistics, England". Figures are available for the financial years 1997–98 and 2000–01 to 2003–04. Copies of the bulletins are available in the Library and on the Department's website at http://www.dh.gov.uk.

Primary Care Trusts

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the impact for patient care in Barnet of (a) a potential merger of Barnet primary care trust (PCT) into a larger PCT and (b) the removal of Barnet PCT's role in providing services; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the impact on patient services of Barnet primary care trust's co-terminosity with other public sector providers including the borough council; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: Strategic health authorities (SHAs) have recently submitted their proposals for the re-configuration of primary care trusts (PCTs), which set out how they intend to strengthen their commissioning function. These proposals will be assessed by an independent external panel drawn from and representing a wide range of stakeholder interests. The panel will determine whether the SHA proposals meet the criteria stipulated in the document, Commissioning a Patient-Led NHS", published in July 2005. If the criteria are judged to have been met, the proposals will go forward to a three month public consultation, in which the wider impact of PCT re-configuration will be considered, including issues surrounding co-terminosity with local authorities and other local partner organisations. No decisions on the reorganisation of PCTs will be taken until this process has been completed,Similarly, no decisions on the future provision of community and primary healthcare services will be taken until after the White Paper on community healthcare services has been published. The White Paper will be informed by the results of the Your Health, Your Care, Your Say" listening exercise, which is currently under way. Clinical services will continue to be provided by PCTs unless and until those PCTs decide otherwise. These decisions would be driven locally, following our White Paper deliberations and will only be implemented following full local public and staff consultation.

Primary Care Trusts

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cumulative deficit is for the (a) Dacorum Primary Care Trust, (b) West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust and (c) Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Strategic Health Authority; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The cumulative breakeven position for 2004–05 for West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust is a deficit of £14.4 million.
	The term cumulative deficit does not apply to strategic health authorities (SHAs) and primary care trusts (PCTs). The 2004–05 outturn of the PCT and SHA against the revenue resource limit is shown in the table.
	
		
			 National health service organisation 2004–05 under/(over) spend against the revenue resource limit (£ thousand) 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA 1,976 
			 Dacorum PCT (4,840) 
		
	
	Source:
	2004–05 summarisation schedules.
	The term cumulative deficit" does not apply to SHAs or PCTs. Therefore, there is no cumulative deficit position available for SHAs and PCTs. Therefore, the 2004–05 outturn of the SHA and the PCT against the revenue resource limit for 2004–05 has been given.
	If a SHA or PCT reports a deficit position in one year, that deficit is recovered by deducting it from the resources available to it in the subsequent year. Therefore, its current performance represents its cumulative position.
	If, on the other hand, a NHS trust reports a deficit, it has its income reduced in the following year. In addition to this, it has a statutory duty to make good that deficit by reporting a surplus to offset it within the following two years, or four years by exception. It is the net deficit incurred during these years that is defined as the cumulative deficit for NHS trusts.
	The financial position of the NHS as a whole ended 2004–05 with an overall deficit of around £250 million. This has to be seen in relation to the overall NHS spending; it represents only around 0.4 per cent. of resources. This and the latest available data on the 2004–05 financial position for all NHS organisations—SHAs, PCTs and NHS trusts—was put in the public domain on 19 September. It was based on the 2004–05 summarisation schedules that were released to the Financial Times and made available on the Department's website.
	It is the responsibility of SHAs to deliver both overall financial balance for their local health communities and to ensure each and every body achieves financial balance. However, there is a degree of flexibility in how this is managed at a local level. In circumstances where a surplus cannot be generated in the following year, SHAs can agree a recovery plan which phases the recovery of deficits over a number of years. This would require other NHS organisations within the health economy to underspend over the same period. Any such arrangements would have to be subject to the agreement of local providers, commissioners and the managing SHA.

Primary Care Trusts

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on (a) administration and (b) management costs by each primary care trust in the West Midlands area, expressed (i) as a percentage of their total budget and (ii) as the cost per head of population in the areas they cover, in the last year for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested for 2004–05, the latest available year, is shown in the table.
	
		Administration and management costs for primary care trusts in the West Midlands area, 2004–05
		
			 Primary care trust (PCT) name Management costs (£ thousands) Management costs as a percentage of net operating costs Management costs per weighted head of population (£) 
		
		
			 Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth 3,639 2.5 28.16 
			 Cannock Chase 2,185 1.7 18.83 
			 Coventry Teaching 7,131 1.8 21.20 
			 Dudley Beacon and Castle 2,676 2.3 24.10 
			 Dudley South 4,210 2.0 22.59 
			 East Staffordshire 2,349 1.9 21.73 
			 Eastern Birmingham 6,192 2.1 22.21 
			 Heart of Birmingham Teaching 6,354 1.8 18.81 
			 Herefordshire 3,375 1.8 20.10 
			 Newcastle-under-Lyme 1,975 1.7 20.03 
			 North Birmingham 3,141 1.6 19.04 
			 North Stoke 4,135 2.4 28.67 
			 North Warwickshire 5,177 2.9 28.45 
			 Oldbury and Smethwick 2,387 1.9 20.09 
			 Redditch and Bromsgrove 2,847 1.8 18.11 
			 Rowley Regis and Tipton 2,066 2.0 22.45 
			 Rugby 1,466 1.6 19.97 
			 Shropshire County 5,390 1.8 21.41 
			 Solihull 3,760 1.8 20.89 
			 South Birmingham 4,460 1.0 12.63 
			 South Stoke 3,004 1.9 20.96 
			 South Warwickshire 4,693 1.9 20.98 
			 South Western Staffordshire 2,324 1.3 15.54 
			 South Worcestershire 3,770 1.3 13.29 
			 Staffordshire Moorlands 2,038 1.7 21.11 
			 Telford and Wrekin 3,438 2.2 23.04 
			 Walsall Teaching 6,362 2.1 22.83 
			 Wednesbury and West Bromwich 2,714 2.0 20.37 
			 Wolverhampton City 5,586 2.0 20.76 
			 Wyre Forest 2,257 2.1 20.35 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Administration costs are not identified separately, so all information given relates to management costs only.
	2. Total budget' has been interpreted as net operating costs for PCTs.
	3. 'West Midlands area' has been interpreted as the area covered by the Shropshire and Staffordshire, Birmingham and Black Country and West Midlands South strategic health authorities.
	Sources:
	1. Audited summarisation schedules of the named PCTs.
	2. Weighted population figures for the PCTs.

Public Consultation

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Your Health, Your Care, Your Say events are planned; and what population each is intended to cover.

Liam Byrne: Four regional events were held in Gateshead, Leicester, London and Plymouth, where the audiences reflected the adult populations for the surrounding area. A national citizens' summit was held in Birmingham with the 998 participants broadly reflecting the adult population of England. In addition, a series of locally organised events have been taking place around England, attended by people from local populations, while some voluntary organisations have held their own meetings, which have included people in seldom heard groups.

Public Consultation

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether representations from members of the public to her Department concerning proposals to alter healthcare provision by Suffolk West Primary Care Trust will be considered as part of the Your Health, Your Care, Your Say consultation exercise;
	(2)  how many members of the public from the Sudbury area of Suffolk have been selected to take part in the Your Health, Your Care, Your Say consultation exercise.

Rosie Winterton: The provision of healthcare in Suffolk West is a matter for the Suffolk West Primary Care Trust and its local residents can contribute to the consultation, Modernising Healthcare in West Suffolk" until 12 December. Members of the public can take part in the Your Health, Your Care, Your Say consultation in various ways, including an online questionnaire at: www.nhs.uk/yoursay.
	Information on how many members of the public from the Sudbury area of Suffolk have been selected to take part in the Your Health, Your Care, Your Say consultation exercise is not available.

Pulmonary Disease

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the availability of pulmonary rehabilitation for those suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Liam Byrne: In England, health professionals in primary care trusts are responsible for determining which health services their local population requires, including pulmonary rehabilitation, and ensuring provision of these services. Data regarding the availability of local services for individual medical conditions is not collected centrally.

Radiotherapy

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she plans to measure waiting times for radiotherapy.

Rosie Winterton: We have no plans to introduce data collection to measure radiotherapy waiting times. The NHS Cancer Plan set out maximum waiting time targets for cancer treatment, which include radiotherapy where this is given as a first definitive treatment. Standards of a maximum wait of one month from diagnosis to first treatment and a maximum two month wait from urgent general practitioner referral to first treatment for breast cancer are already in place. From December 2005, these targets will be in place for all cancer patients.

Schizophrenia

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the incidence of death from a respiratory infection in people with schizophrenia compared with the standardised mortality rates for respiratory infection.

Rosie Winterton: While no assessment has been made by the Department, an independent study by Harris and Barraclough—British Journal of Psychiatry (1998), 173, 11–53—describes the increased risk of premature death from natural and unnatural causes for the common mental disorders. Analysing six studies which looked at respiratory disease as cause of death among patients with schizophrenia, the standardised mortality ratio was found to be significantly raised.
	In the Choosing Health" White Paper, 2004, the Government recognise the importance of physical health care for people with severe mental illness. This is why £7 million has been allocated to Spearhead primary care trusts to support them in improving physical health checks for this group.

Shropshire Health Authority

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed in communication roles in Shropshire Health Authority in October.

Rosie Winterton: Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic Health Authority employs three people in communications roles.

Smoking

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many submissions she received following the recent consultation on banning smoking in public places; how many submissions supported the Government's preferred option; and how many submissions supported the option which would ban smoking in all enclosed workplaces and private members clubs and bars and pubs not selling food.

Caroline Flint: We received over 57,000 responses to the consultation on the Smokefree Elements of the Health Bill. We intend to publish a summary of the results shortly.

Social Care Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she initiated her review of health and social care regulation; what the remit of the review is; who is carrying out the review; when she expects the review to be completed; whether it will be published; whether the results will be subject to public consultation; and when she expects to lay before Parliament the legislation needed to enact the results of the review.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 19 October 2005, Official Report, columns 56–57 WS.
	The review was initially announced by the Government in the Chancellor's budget report in March 2005. The terms of reference for the review were published on 19 October. Any plans for further legislation, should that be needed, will be announced in the Queen's Speech next year as usual.

Sun Beds

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations her Department has received from cancer charities about coin-operated sunbed tanning retail outlets.

Rosie Winterton: The Department is aware of concerns expressed by Cancer Research UK about the use of coin-operated sunbeds in tanning retail outlets, particularly where they are unsupervised. The charity is keen that there should be clear notices wherever sunbeds are used describing those most at risk of skin cancer and advising against their use, especially for young people under 16 years. Cancer Research UK is currently itself in discussions with the sunbed industry about self-regulation and about improving information for both staff and customers, including the displaying of information. The Health and Safety Executive also issued guidelines in 1995 on the use of sunbeds both for operators and customers, with the recommendation that the guidance should be made available to the public.

Swale Primary Care Trust

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists serve the Swale Primary Care Trust area.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 3 November 2005
	As at 30 September 2005, there were 33 national health service dentists with either a general dental services or personal dental services contract within Swale Primary Care Trust.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Iraq

Peter Law: To ask the Solicitor-General what discussions his Department has had with the Information Commissioner since April in respect of outstanding applications for information on the policy formulation of the Attorney-General's opinion on the legality of military action against Iraq made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Mike O'Brien: The Government do not comment on cases which are or may be under consideration by the Information Commissioner.

Police

Simon Hughes: To ask the Solicitor-General if he will review the policy on prosecutions of police officers following deaths following action taken by police officers in the execution of their duty.

Mike O'Brien: The Police Reform Act 2002 as amended by the Serious and Organised Crime Act 2005 and the Police Act 2005 creates a statutory duty on the police to refer to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) incidents when persons have died following some form of direct or indirect contact with the police and there is reason to believe that the contact may have caused or contributed to the death. It is then for the IPCC to oversee the investigation into the death with the appropriate level of external supervision.
	The evidence will be considered by the IPCC to decide whether the evidence indicates that a person whose conduct was under investigation may have committed a criminal offence. If the IPCC decides that this threshold has been reached then the file should be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service to consider whether or not any individual should be charged.
	A Crown prosecutor will then review the evidence against the guidance contained in the Code for Crown Prosecutors. The Code has two stages to a decision to prosecute.
	The prosecutor will first consider whether or not there is enough evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction against each defendant on each charge. In undertaking this consideration of the evidence the prosecutor must consider what the defence case may be, including a defence case of self-defence, and how that is likely to affect the prosecution case.
	If the case does pass the evidential test then the reviewing prosecutor must consider whether a prosecution would be in the public interest. The prosecutor will consider what if any public interest factors may weigh either in favour of, or against, a prosecution. A prosecution will usually take place unless there are public interest factors tending against a prosecution, which clearly outweigh those tending in favour.
	The policy guidelines set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors are kept under review. The last review, which included a public consultation exercise, took place in 2004 with the current edition of the Code having been published in November 2004. It is a publicly available document issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions under section 10 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985. There are no immediate plans for the Code to be reviewed.

NORTHERN IRELAND

2012 Olympics

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has made to his Cabinet colleagues about attracting some of the events of the 2012 Olympic games to Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: There is regular liaison with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in support of the London Bid and to maximise the opportunities for Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland are represented at a senior level on the Nations and Regions Committee. I recently attended a meeting of the Sports Cabinet in Cardiff chaired by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, the right hon. Member for Dulwich and West Norwood (Tessa Jowell). At this meeting, the issue of attracting events and participation to Northern Ireland was discussed. Further discussion will continue.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in each board area have died of abdominal aortic aneurysm in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The following table gives the number of deaths registered in Northern Ireland in each Health and Social Services Board area in each year between 2000 and 2004 where the underlying cause of death was recorded as abdominal aortic aneurysm 1 .
	1 International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision code 171.3 and 171.4 for years 200104 and Ninth Revision codes 441.3 and 441.4 for year 2000.
	
		Table: Number of deaths due to abdominal aortic aneurysm, by Health and Social Services Board, registered in Northern Ireland (200004)
		
			  Abdominal aortic aneurysm 
			 Health and Social Services Board 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004(21) 
		
		
			 Eastern 37 43 60 51 65 
			 Northern 25 27 25 25 31 
			 Southern 15 19 12 12 15 
			 Western 15 12 12 19 12 
			 Northern Ireland 92 101 109 107 123 
		
	
	(21) Data for 2004 is provisional.

Ards Hospital (Psychiatry)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans there are to improve psychiatry facilities on the Ards hospital site.

Shaun Woodward: The Eastern Health and Social Services Board is developing a business case for its Primary and Community Care Infrastructure. Consideration of a full range of options for the future provision of psychiatry services on the Ards hospital site will be a major element of the business case.

Ards Hospital (Psychiatry)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many admissions there have been to the psychiatry unit at Ards hospital in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: The number of admissions to the psychiatric unit at Ards hospital in each of the last five years is detailed in the following table:
	
		
			 Financial year Number of admissions 
		
		
			 200405 257 
			 200304 398 
			 200203 326 
			 200102 348 
			 200001 317 
		
	
	Source:
	Ulster Hospital and Community Trust.

Benefit Fraud

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the cost of benefit fraud in the Province in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: The information requested is as follows:
	Benefit Fraud
	The levels of benefit fraud are estimated on the basis of a programme of benefit reviews carried out on a random selection of cases selected by the Department's statisticians. The following table provides details of the estimated monetary value of fraud and the percentage of overall expenditure this represents. The estimates relate to the main benefits but do not include some benefits where the risks of fraud are believed to be small.
	
		Estimated value of undetected benefit fraud
		
			  Total value  million Value as percentage of benefit expenditure 
		
		
			 200001 46.06 1.5 
			 200102 60.45 1.9 
			 200203 32. 29 1.0 
			 200304 36.62 1.2 
			 200405 23. 74 0.7

Breast Cancer

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether breast cancer sufferers in the Province are informed immediately if they are found to be suitable for trastuzumab treatment.

Shaun Woodward: All women diagnosed with breast cancer in Northern Ireland are automatically tested for suitability for Trastuzumab (Herceptin) treatment. Patients are informed of their suitability as soon as possible after the results become available.

Buckley Report

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Department received Sir Michael Buckley's report on the university of Ulster; and if he will publish the report.

Angela Smith: The Department for Employment and Learning has not received Sir Michael Buckley's report, nor does it hold a copy. As the Department passed the draft report to Sir Brian Fender last March, an official read a copy in order to ascertain whether there were any issues of accountability which were relevant to the Department.
	The publication of Sir Michael Buckley's report is a matter for the university of Ulster.

Buckley Report

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to publish Sir Michael Buckley's report regarding the University of Ulster.

Angela Smith: The publication of Sir Michael Buckley's report is a matter for the University of Ulster.

Child Protection

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to ensure that children in Northern Ireland are afforded the same legislative protection from abuse as is afforded to children in England and Wales.

Shaun Woodward: Yes.
	The Ministerial Sub Group on Children chaired by Lord Rooker has decided that a cross departmental review of current legislation provision in England and Wales, led by OFMDFM, will be undertaken to identify gaps in the legislative provision which exist within Northern Ireland. The review will be conducted over the next few months and will include child protection legislation.
	DHSSPS are already developing proposals for public consultation on new legislation, which will bring Northern Ireland closer to England and Wales in terms of strengthening a number of child protection arrangements.
	All Articles (except Article 46) of the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Order (NI) 2003, which introduced statutory barring and vetting as an aid to employment procedures in relation to children and vulnerable adults, commenced with effect from 1 April 2005 and brings the existing legislative framework into line with England and Wales. Officials from DHSSPS, DE and NIO are also working closely with counterparts in England and Wales on the extension of a proposed new Bichard vetting and barring scheme to Northern Ireland.

Class Sizes

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average number of pupils in primary school classes was within each education and library board in the Province in 1997.

Angela Smith: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			 Education and library board area Average class size (199798) 
		
		
			 Belfast 24.3 
			 Western 22.9 
			 North Eastern 23.7 
			 South Eastern 24.8 
			 Southern 23.0 
			 Northern Ireland average 23.7 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures apply to those pupils in year 1 to year 7 only.

Community and Voluntary Sector Funding

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date the Department of Social Development Taskforce Report on funding for the community and voluntary sector will be published.

David Hanson: In March 2005, the Government published 'Positive Steps', its response to Investing Together, the Report of the Task Force on Resourcing the Voluntary and Community Sector. It sets out a significant agenda for change and investment to help ensure that the voluntary and community sector is better placed to cope with social and economic change and imminent changes to the funding environment. An Implementation Group consisting of Senior Officials will oversee implementation of the actions contained within the report. An Annual Report on progress will be presented to the Joint Government/Voluntary and Community Sector Forum.

Consultancy Firms

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list consultancy firms engaged to provide advice to each Northern Ireland Department in the last five years in respect of the outsourcing of Civil Service functions and services; how much has been paid to each consultancy firm by each Department; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The following table sets out the list of consultancy firms engaged to provide advice to Northern Ireland Departments in respect of the outsourcing of civil service functions and services, and how much has been paid to each consultancy firm by each Department in the last five years.
	
		
			   Amount paid () 
			 Year contract awarded Name of firm 200405 (22)200506 (22)Total Service Department 
		
		
			 2004 Deloitte MCS Limited 272,233 175,119 447,352 e-HR Contract DFP 
			 2005 Grant Thornton UK LLP  58,088 58,088 e-HR Contract DFP 
			 2004 Helm Corporation 32,102  32,102 Broadband Aggregation Project DFP 
			 2004 Mason's Communications 4,900  4,900 Broadband Aggregation Project DFP 
		
	
	(22) Figures reflect position up to 30 September 2005.
	Payments made by the Strategic Investment Board to consultancy firms providing legal advice on the eHR project are listed separately as follows. These payments, although strictly not made by departments, are included for completeness.
	
		
			   Amount paid () 
			 Year contract awarded Name of firm 200304 200405 (23)200506 (23)Total Service 
		
		
			 2003 Denise Wheatley Associates  13,512  13,512 e-HR Contract 
			 2003 Denton Wilde Sapte 146,718 853,469 811,643 1,811,830 e-HR Contract 
		
	
	(23) Figures reflect position up to 30 September 2005.

Contraceptive Advice

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what obligations school nurses are under to inform school staff when they are approached by 11-year-old girls seeking contraceptive treatment on school property.

Shaun Woodward: None, but given the girls' age the school nurse is required to discuss such cases with social services in accordance with child protection policies and procedures which implement the Department's guidance on Co-operating to Safeguard Children issued in May 2003.

Council of Catholic Maintained Schools

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Protestants sit on the Council of Catholic Maintained Schools; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: There are currently eight members appointed by the head of the Department of Education to serve as members on the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools. Of this total there are two Protestants and six Roman Catholics. The Department does not hold community background information on the remaining 28 members of the Council as they are not appointed by the head of the Department.

Departmental Recruitment

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of new recruits to his Department do not have a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics.

Angela Smith: The vast majority of appointments to the NICS non-industrial grades are for administrative positions in which candidates must hold at least a grade C or better pass in GCSE or equivalent. The majority of NICS posts do not require a mathematics qualification. Applicants for each post are required to provide details of those qualifications which are necessary to demonstrate their eligibility for the advertised post. It should be noted that many new recruits are assessed by test prior to being appointed. These tests may comprise a number of elements which measure numeracy and literacy.
	There are no formal educational requirement for staff appointed to support grades e.g. messengers, security guards etc., however these applicants are required to pass a numeracy and literacy aptitude test. Staff appointed to industrial grades, e.g. drivers etc., do not require qualifications in English or mathematics.

Departmental Recruitment

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what methods of assessment of (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills are used as part of the recruitment process by employees of his Department.

Angela Smith: All appointees to posts at administrative assistant, administrative officer, executive officer and staff officer positions in the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) are required to satisfy a minimum standard through tests which measure 'following procedures', 'numerical reasoning' and 'speed and accuracy'. These specifically test numeracy, while literacy is tested through candidates' ability to understand and follow procedures correctly.
	The selection process for the graduate staff officer grade also includes assessment centre exercises. Recruitment to other specialist grades within the NICS involves testing in the specific competences required for the post, e.g. assistant statisticians, assistant scientific officers and IT specialists which all have a mathematical element.

District Councils

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the staff breakdown by community background is of each district council in Northern Ireland; which district councils in Northern Ireland have implemented affirmative action measures in response to staff under-representation; and what affirmative action measures have been taken by district councils with identified under-representation in each case.

Angela Smith: The staff breakdown by community background for each district council, set out in the following table, has been taken from the Equality Commission's 2003 Monitoring Report.
	
		
			 District council P. R.C. N.D. Total 
		
		
			 Antrim 190 82 8 280 
			 Ards 339 63 26 428 
			 Armagh 139 115 0 254 
			 Ballymena 231 52 15 298 
			 Ballymoney 90 19 12 121 
			 Banbridge 155 39 4 198 
			 Belfast 1,455 868 106 2,429 
			 Carrickfergus 172 13 21 206 
			 Castlereagh 464 43 51 558 
			 Coleraine 227 74 20 321 
			 Cookstown 112 92 3 207 
			 Craigavon 258 165 11 434 
			 Derry 137 443 12 592 
			 Down 76 219 19 314 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 150 138 18 306 
			 Fermanagh 101 139 4 244 
			 Larne 110 39 5 154 
			 Limavady 80 53 7 140 
			 Lisburn 352 85 19 456 
			 Magherafelt 99 96 0 195 
			 Moyle 33 75 11 119 
			 Newry and Mourne 56 343 6 405 
			 Newtownabbey 434 57 8 499 
			 North Down 404 48 45 497 
			 Omagh 136 270 34 440 
			 Strabane 59 107 3 169 
			 Total 6,059 3,737 468 10,264 
		
	
	Note:
	P = Protestant; RC = Roman Catholic; ND = Non-denominational
	District councils are listed in Schedule 1 of the Fair Employment (Specification of Public Authorities) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000 as one of the public authorities required to secure fair participation in employment. However, details about the implementation of affirmative action measures are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Education and Library Boards

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Roman Catholics sit on education and library boards; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The members of the education and library boards were appointed by the Minister for Education and were selected in accordance with legislative requirements and the code of practice laid down by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
	Each Board has 35 members of which 14 were nominated by the relevant local councils, eight were nominated by the Transferors and Trustees and 13 were appointed through an open competition process that is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The Commissioner's independent assessor found the process used to have met the exacting standards set down by OCPA.
	The information available in respect of the community background of members of each of the education and library boards is detailed in the following table. To enable Ministers and Departments to ensure that the pool of candidates from which appointments are made contains a fair and equitable representation of the Northern Ireland community, in accordance with OCPA guidelines, details of community background are sought from each candidate for monitoring purposes. This information is not made available to the shortlisting and interview panels or to the Minister when decisions on appointments are being made.
	
		Number
		
			  Protestant Roman Catholic Other 
		
		
			 BELB
			 District Council Nominees 6 7 1 
			 Transferor/Trustee Reps 4 4  
			 General Interest Members 4 9  
			 Total 14 20 1 
			 
			 NEELB
			 District Council Nominees 12 2  
			 Transferor/Trustee Reps 6 2  
			 General Interest Members 6 4 3 
			 Total 24 8 3 
			 
			 SEELB
			 District Council Nominees 12 2  
			 Transferor/Trustee Reps 6 2  
			 General Interest Members 10 3  
			 Total 28 7  
			 
			 SELB
			 District Council Nominees 7 6 1 
			 Transferor/Trustee Reps 4 4  
			 General Interest Members 6 7  
			 Total 17 17 1 
			 
			 WELB
			 District Council Nominees 3 11  
			 Transferor/Trustee Reps 3 5  
			 General Interest Members 8 4 1 
			 Total 14 20 1

Electronic Human Resources Contract

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Department of Finance and Personnel expects to designate a company as the preferred bidder for the Northern Ireland Civil Service electronic Human Resources Contract.

Angela Smith: The Department of Finance and Personnel expects to designate a company as preferred bidder for the Northern Ireland Civil Service electronic Human Resources Contract by the end of November 2005.

Enzyme Disorders

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of people in the Province who suffer from enzyme disorders.

Shaun Woodward: Information on the number of people suffering from enzyme disorders is not available.
	Enzyme deficiency disorders result in a very wide spectrum of clinical consequences depending on the enzyme involved.

Fuel Poverty

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how many people he estimates are living in fuel poverty within each Westminster parliamentary constituency in the Province;
	(2)  if he will estimate the number of people living in fuel poverty within each district council area in the Province.

David Hanson: Figures on fuel poverty are classified in terms of households rather than individual people and are collected on a district council, rather than a parliamentary constituency basis. The estimated number of people in fuel poverty based on the 2001 House Condition Survey is as follows:
	
		
			 District council area Estimated number of households in fuel poverty 
		
		
			 Antrim 6,800 
			 Ards 7,910 
			 Armagh 5,060 
			 Ballymena 8,150 
			 Bally money 4,070 
			 Banbridge 4,680 
			 Belfast 42,960 
			 Carrickfergus 3,400 
			 Castlereagh 5,650 
			 Coleraine 6,520 
			 Cookstown 3,610 
			 Craigavon 13,450 
			 Deny 13,090 
			 Down 6,040 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 3,670 
			 Fermanagh 6,460 
			 Larne 4,400 
			 Limavady 4,020 
			 Lisburn 10,570 
			 Magherafelt 5,690 
			 Moyle 2,170 
			 Newry and Mourne 6,650 
			 Newtownabbey 10,040 
			 North Down 7,650 
			 Omagh 5,100 
			 Strabane 5,450 
			 Northern Ireland total 203,260 
		
	
	An interim House Condition Survey was carried out in 2004 and the results of this are currently being analysed.

GCSE Qualifications

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of (a) males and (b) females in the Province left school with no GCSE passes in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Smith: Figures for 200405 are not yet available. Figures for the previous 10 years are as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage of males who left school with no GCSE passes Percentage of females who left school with no GCSE passes 
		
		
			 199495 7.5 3.4 
			 199596(24) 5.0 2.3 
			 199697 7.8 4.5 
			 199798 7.1 3.6 
			 199899 6.5 2.7 
			 19992000 6.9 3.4 
			 200001 7.8 3.7 
			 200102 8.1 3.4 
			 200203(25) n/a n/a 
			 200304 7.3 3.9 
		
	
	n/a = not available
	(24) Qualifications data were missing for approximately 3 per cent. of school leavers.
	(25) Due to software difficulties with the schools' administrative system, the 2002/03 School Leavers' Survey had to be abandoned.

GCSE Qualifications

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of (a) males and (b) females in the Province achieved passes in mathematics and English at GCSE level in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Smith: Information is not available for 199596 and not yet available for 200405. For the other years requested the figures are as follows:
	
		Percentage of pupils aged 15 at the start of each school year who achieved grades A*-G
		
			 Gender/Subject 199697 199798 199899 19992000 
		
		
			 Female 
			 English 94 93 93 93 
			 Mathematics 90 89 90 91 
			 English and Mathematics 90 88 89 90 
			  
			 Male 
			 English 86 85 86 86 
			 Mathematics 85 83 85 86 
			 English and Mathematics 82 80 82 83 
		
	
	
		
			 Gender/Subject 200001 200102 200203 200304 
		
		
			 Female 
			 English 94 93 93 93 
			 Mathematics 91 92 91 90 
			 English and Mathematics 90 91 90 89 
			 Male 
			 English 85 85 86 87 
			 Mathematics 85 87 86 85 
			 English and Mathematics 82 83 83 83

Hospital Beds

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many hospital beds there are within each hospital trust in the Province dedicated to addictions treatment.

Shaun Woodward: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		Number of beds in Northern Ireland designated for the treatment of addictions at 31 March 2005
		
			 Provider trust Designated beds for the treatment of addiction 
		
		
			 Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust 10 
			 Down Lisburn HSS Trust 14 
			 Homefirst Community HSS Trust 10 
			 South and East Belfast HSS Trust(26) 12 
			 Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust 7 
			   
			 Northern Ireland 53 
		
	
	(26) South and East Belfast HSS Trust and North and West Belfast HSS Trust jointly manage the 12 beds designated for the treatment of addictions.
	Source:
	Northern Ireland HPSS Trusts.

Illegal Waste Disposal

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimates have been made of the tonnage of illegally dumped waste originating from the Irish Republic and deposited in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The Department of the Environment's Environment and Heritage Service took over responsibility for the regulation of illegal waste activity, including incidents of illegal dumping of material originating in the Republic of Ireland, in October 2002. Between that date and the end of 2004, some 250,000 tonnes of biodegradable ROI waste was detected in Northern Ireland. It is not possible to determine the year in which the waste was disposed of, so the figure cannot be broken down into annual tonnages. An updated amount to reflect the period up to end 2005 is being calculated and will be available early in 2006.

Lagan College/Millennium Primary School, Strangford

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost has been of upgrading roads and footpaths at (a) Lagan College and (b) the Millennium Primary School in the Strangford constituency.

Shaun Woodward: The chief executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Lady in response to this question.
	Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin to Mrs. Iris Robinson, dated 8 November 2005
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding what the total cost has been of upgrading roads and footpaths at (a) Lagan College and (b) the Millennium Primary School in the Strangford constituency.
	I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.
	Following the receipt of a number of requests from various interested parties, Roads Service carried out a minor works improvement scheme at the junction of Manse Road and Glencregagh Road at a cost of 660,000.
	The scheme, which was completed in 2004, included the provision of a new widened and realigned carriageway; right turn pockets at Lagan College and Glencregagh Road; improved sightlines at the Manse Road/Glencregagh Road junction; and the construction of approximately 1.3 km of new footway to provide continuous pedestrian access on Manse Road between Four Winds Roundabout and Lagan College.
	Colleagues in the Department of Education (DE) have also confirmed that road improvement works were carried out at the site of the new Millennium Primary School in 2003 as a condition of the school's planning approval. These works, which were necessary to ensure satisfactory means of access in the interests of road safety and the convenience of road users, cost approximately 330,000 and were funded by DE.
	Subsequent to the school opening, it became apparent that drivers were not observing the signs and road markings and that safety was being threatened by illegal overtaking manoeuvres in the vicinity of the school. To address this, Roads Service installed further traffic islands, signs, road markings and lighting at a cost of 29,000.
	I hope this information is helpful.

Marriage Licences

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many marriage licences were issued by each local government councils in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: Prior to 1 January 2004, all civil marriages were carried out either by registrar's certificate or registrar's licence but separate statistics are not available for each form of authority. Table 1 gives the total number of civil marriages by local government district between 2000 and 2003.
	New marriage legislation introduced from 1 January 2004 provided for universal civil preliminaries with a schedule issued by the registrar constituting the authority for all marriages, religious or civil, to take place. Table 2 gives the number of marriages carried out by schedule and the number of civil marriages by schedule by local government district in 2004. In addition, table 2 gives the number of civil marriages that took place in 2004, under the previous legislation.
	
		Table 1: Total number of civil marriages by local government district, 2000 to 2003
		
			 Local government district 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Antrim 59 60 67 46 
			 Ards 86 80 82 75 
			 Armagh 47 41 69 80 
			 Ballymena 59 60 71 86 
			 Ballymoney 22 24 14 24 
			 Banbridge 48 43 63 54 
			 Belfast 502 490 463 485 
			 Carrickfergus 68 69 81 76 
			 Castlereagh 73 80 91 96 
			 Coleraine 85 92 114 111 
			 Cookstown 12 15 21 18 
			 Craigavon 86 85 84 89 
			 Derry 95 95 104 124 
			 Down 53 45 63 48 
			 Dungannon 23 22 20 20 
			 Fermanagh 38 57 42 43 
			 Larne 39 31 41 42 
			 Limavady 20 15 22 20 
			 Lisburn 88 118 176 160 
			 Magherafelt 20 9 22 20 
			 Moyle 8 8 8 13 
			 Newry and Mourne 67 44 45 65 
			 Newtownabbey 77 88 102 105 
			 North Down 181 173 207 195 
			 Omagh 34 24 20 25 
			 Strabane 20 13 21 14 
			 Northern Ireland 1,910 1,881 2,113 2,134 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Total number of marriages carried out by schedule, the number of civil marriages by schedule, and the number of civil marriages under the previous legislation, by local government district, 2004
		
			 Local government district All marriages by schedule Civil marriages by schedule Civil marriages under previous legislation 
		
		
			 Antrim 185 57 3 
			 Ards 231 78 4 
			 Armagh 285 89 1 
			 Ballymena 292 108 9 
			 Ballymoney 109 27 4 
			 Banbridge 147 41 1 
			 Belfast 1,422 699 29 
			 Carrickfergus 179 90 5 
			 Castlereagh 172 71 3 
			 Coleraine 294 109 4 
			 Cookstown 186 29 1 
			 Craigavon 333 88 5 
			 Derry 480 143 4 
			 Down 294 76 6 
			 Dungannon 253 21 0 
			 Fermanagh 349 85 4 
			 Larne 161 36 0 
			 Limavady 145 19 2 
			 Lisburn 425 167 13 
			 Magherafelt 198 9 0 
			 Moyle 100 13 1 
			 Newry and Mourne 495 105 4 
			 Newtownabbey 243 62 5 
			 North Down 478 235 13 
			 Omagh 249 29 1 
			 Strabane 134 14 2 
			 Northern Ireland 7,839 2,500 124

Mental Health

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the prevalence of mental ill health in the Province.

Shaun Woodward: There has been no survey of the prevalence of mental ill health in Northern Ireland however; a survey carried out in 2000 by the Office for National Statistics in Great Britain indicate that one in six people will suffer from a mental illness at any one time.

Mental Health

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on mental health services in the Province in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: Expenditure on mental health services for the last five financial years is listed in the following table.
	
		
			  Mental health expenditure ( million 
		
		
			 19992000 124.033 
			 200001 133.206 
			 200102 139.345 
			 200203 150,773 
			 200304 161.141 
			 Total 708.498 
		
	
	The Review of Mental Health and Learning Disability includes a specific expert working committee whose responsibility is to cost the recommendations emerging from the Review. This will inform future funding decisions in the development of mental health services.

Mental Health

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on mental health promotion in the Province in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: Mental health promotion is included as part of the work of a wide range of health and social services professionals and it is not possible to distinguish amounts spent on it by them. However since the publication of the draft Strategy for Promoting Mental and Emotional Health in Northern Ireland my Department has allocated the following specific amounts towards promoting mental health.
	
		
			   
		
		
			 200102 50,000 
			 200203 200,000 
			 200304 300,000 
			 200405 350,000 
			 200506 600,000 
		
	
	The Mental Health Promotion Strategy and Action Plan contains 30 actions to promote mental health and prevent suicide. The Strategy is being overseen by a Multi-sectoral Implementation group.

Mental Health

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the priorities agreed at the World Health Organisation European Ministerial Conference on Mental Health in January.

Shaun Woodward: The priorities stated in the Mental Health Declaration for Europe are fundamental to a modern mental health service and are principles fully espoused by the current Review of Mental Health and Learning Disability, which will inform the reform and modernisation of mental health services here.

MOT Vehicle Tests

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria are used in Northern Ireland for MOT vehicle tests; and whether there is a requirement for speedometers to include kilometres per hour as well as miles per hour.

Angela Smith: The criteria used in Northern Ireland for MOT vehicle tests are contained in the Motor Vehicle Testing Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 which specify the class of vehicles subject to testing and the related test items. Schedule 2 of these regulations cites the speedometer as a testable item for Class IV vehicles (motor cars). Regulation 40 of the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 provides for a motor vehicle to be fitted with a speedometer which indicates speed both in miles per hour and kilometres per hour, either simultaneously or, if required, separately.

Multiple Sclerosis

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding has been allocated by each health board in the Province for disease modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: The health and social services boards have advised that expenditure on disease modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis in each of the last five years was as shown in the following table:
	
		
		
			  Eastern Northern Southern Western NI Total 
		
		
			 200001 1,178,036 749,244 401,934 292,179 2,621,393 
			 200102 1,538,340 1,076,476 610,937 431,455 3,657,208 
			 200203 1,435,745 993,850 558,862 438,132 3,426,589 
			 200304 1,544,745 1,150,891 714,420 439,930 3,849,986 
			 200405 1,637,315 1,267,089 796,111 565,149 4,265,664

Nurses

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the reasons for nurses leaving the NHS in Northern Ireland; and if he will take steps to increase the number of nurses trained each year.

Shaun Woodward: During the year ended 31 March 2005 a total of 893 nursing and midwifery staff left the Northern Ireland Health and Personal Social Services (HPSS). This figure will include retirements and those who have left the NI HPSS to join the NHS in England, Scotland and Wales. Information on the actual destination of leavers is not collected.
	The annual intake of student nurses has increased from 480 in 1999 to the current level of 750. This level is kept under review through the Department's ongoing workforce planning process.

National Match-funded Money

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which schemes the national match-funded money has been spent on in each year since modulation was introduced; and how much has been spent on each scheme.

Angela Smith: The schemes and associated amounts on which modulation match funding has been spent in each year since the introduction of modulation are detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  Financial year () 
			 Scheme name 200102 200203 200304 200405 200506 (to date) 
		
		
			 Environmentally Sensitive Area Scheme  13,540.14 149,095.20 198,895.29 130,282.94 
			 Organic Farming Scheme 98,604.63 51,234.89 44,631.11 24,271.23 53,992.83 
			 Countryside Management Scheme  473,977.67 1,041,198.55 1,608,446.91 770,999.76 
			 Farm Woodland Premium Scheme 47,501.67 80,541.14 122,848.61 140,577.70  
			 Short Rotation Coppice Challenge Fund 59,667.25 
			 Total 146,106.30 619,293.84 1,357,773.47 1,972,191.13 955,275.53

NHS Complaints

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many complaints have been made against general practitioners in the Province in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of complaints 
		
		
			 200001 (27)314 
			 200102 (28)536 
			 200203 611 
			 200304 587 
			 200405 665 
		
	
	(27) no figures available for WHS SB or SHSSB areas during 200001
	(28) no figures available for SHSSB area during 200102

Northern Area Plan

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on the draft Northern Area Plan in Northern Ireland; and how many individuals have been affected because their planning application has been either deferred or refused as a result.

Angela Smith: The closing date for receipt of representations on the Northern Area Plan (NAP) was 6 July 2005. To date, 5,600 representations on the plan have been recorded and these are currently being analysed. It is likely that these will require to be addressed through the public inquiry process for NAP. It is too early in the process to give an indication of when a public inquiry will be held.
	The Planning (Development Plans) Regulations (NI) 1991, as amended, requires the Department to make copies of all objections to a development plan available for inspection prior to the inquiry. Copies of the representations will be put on public display as soon as possible and the Department will invite counter-objections, which must be submitted within an 8-week period.
	Approximately 350 planning applications have been affected by the draft NAP. Of that, 81 have the draft NAP as the sole reason for refusal. It should be noted that many of these applications are by the same applicant.

Planning Enforcement

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many planning enforcement officers there are in each area of Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The number of enforcement officers by Divisional Planning Office is set out in the following table.
	
		
			 Division Number of enforcement officers 
		
		
			 Ballymena 7.5 
			 Belfast 5.0 
			 Craigavon 6.5 
			 Downpatrick 3.0 
			 Coleraine/Londonderry 9.5 
			 Omagh/Enniskillen 7.5 
			 HQ Special Studies Section 4 
			 Total 43

Police Service

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many industrial tribunal applications were lodged against the Police Service of Northern Ireland in 200405; and what the status is of each case.

Angela Smith: During 200405 there were 61 individual applications registered against the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The status of these is that 16 applications were withdrawn and 45 remain current.

Porphyria

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what treatment is available on the NHS in Northern Ireland for porphyria variegate; how many consultants in the Province specialise in this area of medicine; how many sufferers there are in the Province; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: Variegate porphyria is a very rare condition. Patients suffering from this disease can vary greatly in their clinical symptoms and therefore are likely to receive treatment from clinicians in a number of specialties including general medicine and dermatology. The symptoms of this illness can be severe however many adverse effects can be reduced or avoided by prompt diagnosis, sustained intervention and monitoring. The first line of treatment is to avoid factors which trigger acute attacks and there is also specific treatment for difficult cases. This treatment is all available within the HPSS in Northern Ireland.
	There are two consultants in Northern Ireland who have an interest in inherited metabolic disorders of this type. Information on the number of patients in the Northern Ireland suffering from variegate porphyria is not available centrally but is thought to be very small.

Prisons

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost was of maintaining the prison population in Northern Ireland in (a) 200304 and (b) 200405; and what the average cost per prisoner was in each year.

Shaun Woodward: The hon. Gentleman asks for the average cost per prisoner. The Northern Ireland Prison Service NIPS) does not publish figures for the average cost per prisoner in its annual report and accounts. The Northern Ireland prison service uses the average cost per prisoner place, which is one of the service's key PSA targets agreed with Treasury.
	The net cost of operations and CPPP for the financial years requested are:
	
		
			 Financial year Net cost of operations (000) CPPP() 
		
		
			 200304 112,461 81,426 
			 200405 115,495 85,935 
		
	
	In 200304 the CPPP target was 83,275 and 200405 was 86,800. The Northern Ireland Prison Service achieved the target in both years.

Property Valuations

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans the Government have to bring forward legislation to introduce a discrete capital value system of local taxation in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The first of two Orders in Council to give effect to a range of rating reforms in April 2007, including the change from rental to capital values for domestic property, was published for consultation on 7 October. The draft Rates (Capital Values, etc.) (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 provides for the determination, publication and revision of the capital values of domestic property in Northern Ireland. These capital values will be published in April 2006. The second Order in Council will be published for consultation next year.

Pupil Expulsions

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria are used in the decision to expel a pupil in (a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) grammar school in the (i) controlled, (ii) maintained, (iii) integrated and (iv) voluntary sectors of education.

Angela Smith: The Department of Education has not issued criteria to be used in the decision to expel a pupil from any school in Northern Ireland.
	All schools are required by law to have a discipline policy, which sets out sanctions, including expulsion, which the school will impose for breaches of school discipline. It is for individual schools to draw up their own discipline policy, including the criteria they will use in decisions to expel a pupil from school.

Railways

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage change there has been in numbers of passengers on the Northern Ireland rail network in the past three years.

Shaun Woodward: The percentage change in numbers of passengers on the Northern Ireland rail network in the past three years has been:
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 200203 +5.5 
			 200304 +5.2 
			 200405 -0.9

Road Safety

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list locations of traffic calming schemes that the road service expects to introduce in the Province within the next 12 months.

Shaun Woodward: The chief executive of the roads service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Lady in response to this question.
	Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin to Mrs Iris Robinson, dated 8 November 2005
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding the locations of traffic calming schemes that Road Service expects to introduce in the Province within the next 12 months.
	I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as chief Executive of Roads Service.
	In relation to the provision of traffic calming measures, I am sure you will appreciate that, although the funding allocated to traffic calming has been increased significantly year on year, demand far outstrips our capacity to meet all such requests and priorities have to be established. We do this by taking account of a number of factors: the accident history of the site, with additional weighting being applied to collisions involving vulnerable road users; the speed, volume and type of traffic; and the characteristics of the general area. Of these we give the highest priority to safety because we believe it is only right to treat sites with an accident history before those with a reasonably good safety record. Implicitly, this assessment process takes cognisance of the overall cost of road traffic collisions to society in general. This approach has led to a substantial reduction in collisions and personal injuries at those sites, over a number of years.
	Table A attached lists the locations of traffic calming schemes Roads Service has programmed for completion this financial year. Our programme of traffic calming works for 2006/2007 has not yet been finalised and Table B attached is a preliminary list of schemes under consideration at this stage. Naturally, implementation of these schemes will be subject to the successful completion of the statutory processes including local consultation and the resolution of any objections.
	I hope this information is helpful.
	ATraffic Calming Schemes Programmed for Completion in 200506
	A26 Newry Road, Banbridge
	Alexander Park, Katesbridge
	Altcar Park, Londonderry
	Antrim Road Lurgan
	Armagh Road, Charlemont
	Ashgrove Road, Portadown
	Ashgrove schemes, Newry
	Ballycoleman area, Strabane (phase 2)
	Ballyeaston Village, Newtownabbey
	Ballygomartin Road, Belfast
	Ballyhenry/Glenvarna, Newtownabbey
	Ballylinderry Village, Lisburn
	Ballylough Road, Annsborough
	Ballymartin Village
	Ballystrudder, Islandmagee
	Bangor Road, Newtownards
	Bloomfield Park, Londonderry
	Brackaville Road, Coalisland
	Brookdale Crescent, Londonderry
	Brookdale Park, Londonderry
	Brookmount Road, Omagh
	Burnside Village, Newtownabbey
	Burnthill/Richmond area, Newtownabbey
	Cable Street, Londonderry
	Callan Bridge Road, Armagh
	Carncastle, Larne
	Carnvue Road, Newtownabbey
	Cashelhill Park, Londonderry
	Cavehill Road, Belfast
	Chancellor's Road, Newry
	Chichester Park area, Ballymena
	Church Road Glengormley, Newtownabbey
	Church Road, Londonderry
	Churchill/Woodside, Portadown
	Clooney Road, Greysteel, Co Londonderry
	Cloughmills, Ballymoney
	Coleshill, Enniskillen
	Colinbridge area, Newtownabbey
	Conlig Village, North Down
	Crevenish Road, Kesh
	Culcavy Village, Lisburn
	Cunninghams Lane, Dungannon
	Darkly Road, Keady
	Dove Gardens, Londonderry
	Ederowen Park, Londonderry
	Elaghmore Park, Londonderry
	Elmwood Road, Londonderry
	Fairview Road, Newtownabbey
	Fern Park, Londonderry
	Gallows Street, Dromore
	Gilford Road, A50, Portadown
	Glen caw Park, Londonderry
	Glengoland Estate, Lisburn
	Godfrey Avenue, North Down
	Gransha Road, Castlereagh
	Green Park Estate, Armagh
	Harberton Park, Belfast
	Hatmore Park, Londonderry
	Heather Road, Londonderry
	High Street, Newry
	Highfield Drive area, Belfast
	Hill Street area Lurgan
	Hillsborough Road/Princess Street, Dromore
	Hospital Road, Omagh (phase 2)
	Huntley Road, Banbridge
	Inverary Area, Belfast
	Iris Drive, Belfast
	Killowen Street, Kyles Brae and Shuttle Hill, Coleraine
	Killyman Village, County Tyrone
	Kilrea Gateways, Kilrea, Co Londonderry
	King Street, Newcastle
	Knockeden/Flush, Belfast
	Knockmore Estate, Lisburn
	Kylemore Park, Londonderry
	Lack Village, County Fermanagh
	Lake Street, Lurgan
	Leafair Gardens, Londonderry
	Leafair Park, Londonderry
	Lenamore Pass, Londonderry
	Lenamore Road, Londonderry
	Loopland Park, Belfast
	Main Street Hamiltonsbawn
	Manse Road, Carrowdore
	Mayfair, Castlereagh
	Meeting Street, Dromore
	Mill Street, Ballymena
	Milltown Road, Burren
	Moneyreagh Village, Castlereagh
	Moss Road, Lisburn
	Mount Merrion Avenue, Castlereagh
	Moygashel Village, Dungannon
	Newtownbreda Village, Castlereagh
	Newry Street/Newry Road, Kilkeel
	Old Warrenpoint Road, Newry
	Parkhall Road and Steeple Estate, Antrim
	Peggys Loaning, Banbndge
	Pomeroy, County Tyrone
	Portadown Road, Tandragee
	Portaferry Village
	Queens Park, Newtownabbey
	Rathgill Park, North Down
	Rathmore Drive Rathcoole, Newtownabbey
	Scarva Street, Banbridge (Reilly Street to Limewood Roundabout)
	Scrabo Estate Stage 1
	Scrabo Estate Stage 2
	Shrigley Road, Killyleagh
	Sion Mills village (phase 2)
	Sloan Street, Lurgan
	Springfarm/Durnish Road, Antrim
	Springfield Park, Belfast
	Springhill Park, Strabane
	Stanley's Walk, Londonderry
	Stewartstown Village, Cookstown
	Stoneyford Village, Lisburn
	Sunnyside Street, Belfast
	Tullybrannigan Estate, Newcastle
	Upper Whiterock Road, Belfast
	Warden/Summerfield/Suffolk Street and Fisherwick Gardens, Ballymena
	Westland Road, Belfast
	Windmill Heights, Enniskillen
	BPreliminary List of Traffic Calming Schemes Programmed for Completion in 200607
	Ardenlee Avenue, Belfast
	Backwood Road, Lisburn
	Ballintoy Gateways, Co Antrim
	Ballyholme Road, North Down
	Ballykeel 1, Ballymena
	Ballyregan Road, Castlereagh
	Barnetts Road, Belfast
	Belmont Church Road, Belfast
	Benmore Drive, Belfast
	Bracken Drive, Newtownabbey
	Bryansford Road, Newcastle
	Carnhill (part), Londonderry
	Carnhill Road, Newtownabbey
	Carrickmore Village, County Tyrone
	Cashel Drive, Newtownabbey
	Castle Park Road, North Down
	Causeway End Road, Lisburn
	Cedar Street, Londonderry
	Chapel Street/Boat Street, Newry
	Circular Road, Belfast
	Cladymore Village
	Clandeboye Road, North Down
	Clarawood Park, Belfast
	College Hill and Portadown Road, Armagh
	Connsbrook Avenue, Belfast
	Cranley Road, North Down
	Creggan Village, Antrim
	Crumlin, Antrim
	Derrykeighan, Ballymoney
	Doran's Hill, Newry
	Downpatrick Road, Crossgar
	Drumnacanvy Village
	Duncairn Gardens, Belfast
	Earlswood Road, Belfast
	Erin vale Avenue, Belfast
	Fintona Village, County Tyrone
	Fort. St/Old Newry Rd, Banbridge.
	Glenview Avenue, Londonderry
	Glenview Street, Londonderry
	Gracehill, Ballymena
	Harbour Road, Kilkeel
	Hawthorn Street, Londonderry
	Holland Drive, Belfast
	Irish Street Estate, Londonderry
	Kevlin Road, Omagh, County Tyrone
	Kildrum Gardens, Londonderry
	Killinchy Village
	Killough Village
	Knockenagh Avenue, Newtownabbey
	Laurelvale Village
	Lawrencetown Village
	Lenaghan area, Castlereagh
	Lincoln Courts, Londonderry
	Lockview Road area, Belfast
	Loughgall Village
	Loughinisland Village
	Lower Braniel Road, Castlereagh
	Lower Springfarm Road, Antrim
	Macfin, Ballymoney
	Main Street/Central Promenade, Newcastle
	Manse Road, Kilkeel
	Meadowbrook Estate, Craigavon
	Millbrook/Drumahoe Road, Larne
	Moneyslane Village
	Mountnorris Village
	Norburgh Park, Londonderry
	Old Ballygowan Road, Comber
	Parsonage Road, Kircubbin
	Poyntzpass Village
	Prehen Park, Londonderry
	Railway Street/Glen Link, Comber
	Rathkeele Way, Londonderry
	Rathkeltair Road, Downpatrick
	Rathlin Drive, Londonderry
	Roemill Road, Limavady
	Rooney Road, Kilkeel
	Saintfield
	Scarva Street, Banbridge (Commercial Road to Reilly Street)
	Scotch Street Village
	Scrogg Road, Kilkeel
	Scroggy Road, Limavady
	Skipperstone Road, North Down
	Southway, Londonderry
	Stirling Avenue, Castlereagh
	Straid Village, Newtownabbey
	Town centre, Ballymena
	Upper Movilla Street/Old Movilla Road, Newtownards
	Upper Waterloo Road, Larne
	Victoria Road/Clifton Road, Bangor
	Waringstown Village
	Willowvale Gardens, Belfast
	Windsor Avenue area, Belfast

Saville Inquiry

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will break down by main category of expenditure the total and final cost to public funds of the Saville Inquiry into events in Londonderry in January 1972.

David Hanson: On the figures available at the end of October 2005 the total cash spend of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry was 163 million. Breaking this down into the main categories previously requested by the hon. Member gives the following figures. Some limited expenditure will continue until the Tribunal submits its final report to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
	
		
			million 
			  NIO MOD 
		
		
			 (a) legal fees 55.535 29.711 
			 (b) accommodation 14.954  
			 (c) transportation 3.217  
			 (d) provision of IT equipment 12.836  
			 (e) hiring of halls 7.574  
			 (f) other (29)36.179 (30)3.034 
		
	
	(29) For the NIO this figure includes salary costs of Tribunal members (except Lord Saville) and Inquiry staff, witness expenses, expert witnesses, office services and security, telecommunications and other miscellaneous office expenditure.
	(30) For the MOD this figure includes Inquiry related staff and support costs, accommodation, a Police Investigation and other miscellaneous fees and expenses.

School Transport

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent by each of the education and library boards in Northern Ireland on the provision of school transport for primary school children who leave school at 2 pm in each year since 2000.

Angela Smith: Information with regard to pupils finishing school at 2 pm who are eligible for school transport assistance is not available in the format requested. However, on the basis of boards' expenditure figures it is estimated that the cost of transporting these pupils by board vehicles was as follows:
	
		 million
		
			  BELB NEELB SEELB SELB WELB Total 
		
		
			 200001 0.2124 0.2962 0.2551 0.6562 0.883 2.3029 
			 200102 0.2691 0.3120 0.3234 0.6533 1.0199 2.5777 
			 200203 0.763 0.5766 0.243 0.9506 1.146 2.9925 
			 200304 0.1131 0.5985 0.7019 0.9287 1.0181 3.3603 
			 200405 0.1166 0.7174 0.3523 0.9004 1.1284 3.2151

South Tyrone Hospital

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what medical and surgical services are provided by the South Tyrone Hospital in Dungannon.

Shaun Woodward: The following services are provided from the South Tyrone Hospital site:
	Geriatric Inpatient and Day Services
	Minor Injuries Service
	Day Case ServicesGeneral Surgery, Gynaecology, Ophthalmology, Pain Management, Oral Surgery, Community Dentistry, Gastroenterology, Rheumatology, ENT
	Paediatric Ambulatory Care services
	Outpatient Services
	Pain Management, Palliative Medicine, Anti-Coagulant, Dermatology, General Medicine, Thoracic Medicine, Cardiology Medicine, Diabetology, Geriatric Medicine, Geriatric Assessment, Haematology, Paediatric, Rheumatology, Neurology, Day Hospital, Colposcopy, Gynaecology, Obstetrics, ENT, General Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, Ophthalmology, Renal, Varicose Ulcer, Continence, Optometry.

Road Safety Bill

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  if he will take steps to secure the extension of the provisions of the Road Safety Bill to Northern Ireland;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues in relation to the extension of the Road Safety Bill to Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: Road Traffic legislation is a transferred matter and responsibility for its progress in Northern Ireland rests with the Department of the Environment. For this reason the provisions of the Road Safety Bill do not, in general, apply to Northern Ireland. There is a general convention to replicate, where possible, the position in Great Britain and this will be done through the draft Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 that was issued for public consultation on 6 October 2005 with a closing date for comments of 12 January 2006.
	The Road Safety Bill seeks to extend Part 2 of the Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001(c.3) (regulation of number plate suppliers) to Scotland and Northern Ireland. This is a reserved matter that cannot be included in the draft Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order.
	The arrangements for replicating measures contained in the Road Safety Bill were made at official level and there has been no correspondence between my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Cabinet colleagues on this matter.

Staff Absence

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the rate of worker absence has been in each Department in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: Sick absence statistics for the Northern Ireland Departments are analysed by financial year as opposed to calendar year. The information set out as follows represents the total number of days lost due to sickness absence in each of the Departments of the NI Administration and the NIO for each year since 200102. The figures for 200405 are currently being compiled and the annual report will be published later this year.
	NI Departments:
	
		Absence information 200001
		
			 Department/agency Average days lost per staff year Absence rate percentage of available working days lost 
		
		
			 DARD 12.2 5.5 
			 DCAL 14.7 6.7 
			 DE 15.7 7.1 
			 DEL 17.9 8.1 
			 DETI 12.4 5.6 
			 DFP 12.8 5.8 
			 DHSSPS 12.9 5.8 
			 DOE 14.6 6.6 
			 DRD 12.2 5.5 
			 DSD 18.6 8.4 
			 OFMDFM 9.7 4.4 
			 MO 12.8 5.8 
			 NI prison staff(civilian) 16.6 (31) 
		
	
	(31) No figures available.
	Notes:
	1. Staff from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Complaints and the Planning Appeals Commission are included in the DFP figures.
	2. Staff from HSENI and OFREG are included in the DETI figures.
	
		Absence information 200102
		
			 Department/agency Average days lost per staff year Absence rate percentage of available working days lost 
		
		
			 DARD 11.8 5.3 
			 DCAL 14.6 6.6 
			 DE 13.2 5.9 
			 DEL 19.0 8.6 
			 DETI 13.0 5.9 
			 DFP 13.5 6.1 
			 DHSSPS 14.6 6.6 
			 DOE 14.1 6.4 
			 DRD 11.4 5.2 
			 DSD 18.4 8.3 
			 OFMDFM 11.6 5.3 
			 NIO 13.4 6.1 
			 NI prison staff (civilian) 13.6 (32) 
		
	
	(32) No figures available.
	Notes:
	1. Staff from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Complaints and the Planning Appeals Commission are included in the DFP figures.
	2. Staff from HSENI and OFREG are included in the DETI figures.
	
		Absence information 200203
		
			 Department/agency Average days lost per staff year Absence rate percentage of available working days lost 
		
		
			 DARD 13.4 6.1 
			 DCAL 13.8 6.3 
			 DE 12.5 5.7 
			 DEL 18.7 8.4 
			 DETI 12.7 5.7 
			 DFP 13.6 6.2 
			 DHSSPS 13.2 6.0 
			 DOE 14.5 6.5 
			 DRD 10.7 4.9 
			 DSD 19.1 8.6 
			 OFMDFM 12.2 5.5 
			 MO 13.7 6.2 
			 NI prison staff (civilian) 19.4 9.6 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Staff from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Complaints and the Planning Appeals Commission are included in the DFP figures.
	2. Staff from HSENI and OFREG are included in the DETI figures.
	
		Absence information 200304
		
			 Department/agency Average days lost per staff year Absence rate percentage of available working days lost 
		
		
			 DARD 12.4 5.5 
			 DCAL 15.1 6.8 
			 DE 11.7 5.2 
			 DEL 17.7 8.0 
			 DETI 11.8 5.3 
			 DFP 14.3 6.4 
			 DHSSPS 12.3 5.5 
			 DOE 13.4 6.0 
			 DRD 12.0 5.4 
			 BSD 19.7 8.8 
			 OFMDFM 12.6 5.7 
			 MO 14.0 6.3 
			 NI prison staff (civilian) 20.7 10.3 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Staff from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Complaints and the Planning Appeals Commission are included in the DFP figures.
	2. Staff from HSENI and OFREG are included in the DETI figures.

Waiting Lists/Times

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his answer of 20 October 2005, Official Report, column 1238W, on waiting lists, if he will take steps to record waiting times for radiotherapy in the Province.

Shaun Woodward: There is no evidence to suggest that there is any difficulty accessing radiotherapy services in Northern Ireland. A national audit of radiotherapy waiting times has recently been carried out by the Royal College of Radiologists. Data were collected for all patients who commenced treatment in Northern Ireland during the week beginning 26 September 2005. Preliminary local analysis indicates that no emergency patient waited more than 24 hours and that waiting times for other patients were in line with national guidelines. The Department has no plans to record waiting times for radiotherapy on an ongoing basis.

Appeals

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of Crown court convictions in Northern Ireland have been successfully appealed in each of the last five years.

Bridget Prentice: I have been asked to reply.
	
		
			  Number of Crown court convictions (non-scheduled) No. of convictions quashed in Court of Appeal Percentage of appeals quashed compared to convictions in the Crown 
		
		
			 2004 962 5 0 
			 2003 742 0 0 
			 2002 670 2 0 
			 2001 635 5 0 
			 2000 761 5 0

Appeals

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of convictions in the Diplock courts have been successfully appealed in each of the last five years.

Bridget Prentice: I have been asked to reply.
	
		
			  Number of Diplock convictions Number of convictions quashed in Court of Appeal Percentage of appeals quashed compared to convictions in the Diplock Courts 
		
		
			 2004 30 0 0 
			 2003 53 2 4 
			 2002 47 1 2 
			 2001 22 3 14 
			 2000 35 5 14

Teacher Training

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on teacher training in the Province in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: Funds allocated for teacher training in Northern Ireland in each of the last five financial years are provided in the table.
	
		Funds allocated for teacher training in Northern Ireland between 200102 and 200506
		
			   million 
		
		
			 Actual allocation  
			 200102 31.855 
			 200203 32.409 
			 200304 35.129 
			 200405 36.057 
			 Estimated allocation  
			 200506 41.090

Telecommunications Masts

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many planning applications there have been to construct or add to existing telecommunication masts in each local authority in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years; and how many applications were (a) approved and (b) refused in each year.

Angela Smith: The number of applications to construct or add to existing telecommunication masts is set out in the following table.
	
		Number of applications for telecommunication masts by council area between 2000 and 2005 (including prior approval applications)
		
			 Council area 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005(33) 
		
		
			 Antrim 17 19 17 11 6 9 
			 Ards 26 22 7 4 3 5 
			 Armagh 33 21 14 8 3 2 
			 Ballymena 34 17 15 1 5 0 
			 Ballymoney 7 3 3 0 1 1 
			 Banbridge 19 5 12 3 0 0 
			 Belfast 48 134 69 36 23 15 
			 Carrickfergus 7 6 5 0 2 2 
			 Castlereagh 8 20 13 5 6 2 
			 Coleraine 16 33 20 1 5 5 
			 Cookstown 15 6 4 2 1 0 
			 Craigavon 30 21 14 2 11 11 
			 Derry 23 44 21 9 20 9 
			 Down 22 26 10 7 9 7 
			 Dungannon 45 25 13 7 8 1 
			 Fermanagh 24 19 8 5 6 2 
			 Larne 11 16 9 3 1 1 
			 Limavady 18 14 12 6 2 4 
			 Lisburn 43 47 37 12 17 9 
			 Magherafelt 12 3 9 2 3 3 
			 Moyle 12 4 5 5 0 4 
			 Newry and Mourne 34 15 19 4 6 9 
			 Newtownabbey 14 25 14 4 10 4 
			 North Down 27 35 11 6 19 6 
			 Omagh 24 16 10 4 3 7 
			 Strabane 12 12 4 1 1 2 
		
	
	(33) So far.
	It is only possible to provide accurate data for the last five years as all the information for previous years is not held electronically and could be extracted only at a disproportionate cost.
	It should be noted that figures up to 2002 also include applications made under the prior approval process. In June 2002 Permitted Development rights were removed by statute except in the case of an emergency and applications for telecommunications equipment were subject to the full planning process.
	Details of how many applications were refused or approved since 2000 is set out in the following table.
	
		Decisions issued on telecommunication masts by council area between 2000 and 2005
		
			  2000 2001 2002 
			 Council area Refused Approved Refused Approved Refused Approved 
		
		
			 Antrim 1 13 4 9 4 12 
			 Ards 3 19 1 12 0 5 
			 Armagh 7 27 5 18 2 12 
			 Ballymena 0 17 2 14 0 14 
			 Ballymoney 1 4 0 4 0 4 
			 Banbridge 0 11 0 6 0 12 
			 Belfast 8 30 11 106 5 61 
			 Carrickfergus 0 2 0 8 0 2 
			 Castlereagh 0 8 2 15 3 7 
			 Coleraine 3 6 8 26 5 14 
			 Cookstown 3 8 1 5 1 1 
			 Craigavon 2 22 1 25 3 7 
			 Derry 1 18 6 34 3 18 
			 Down 2 18 7 14 1 7 
			 Dungannon 7 28 10 9 3 9 
			 Fermanagh 5 15 2 6 0 3 
			 Larne 0 12 2 9 1 10 
			 Limavady 2 14 1 11 0 7 
			 Lisburn 1 26 2 28 4 26 
			 Magherafelt 0 4 2 2 0 11 
			 Moyle 0 8 1 6 0 3 
			 Newry and Mourne 5 25 9 10 0 6 
			 Newtownabbey 2 14 1 21 2 11 
			 North Down 1 28 6 30 2 20 
			 Omagh 4 10 3 8 0 2 
			 Strabane 0 2 0 10 0 7 
		
	
	
		
			  2003 2004 2005(34) 
			 Council area Refused Approved Refused Approved Refused Approved 
		
		
			 Antrim 0 11 0 8 0 6 
			 Ards 0 7 0 2 0 4 
			 Armagh 1 1 0 5 0 4 
			 Ballymena 0 2 0 2 0 2 
			 Ballymoney 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Banbridge 0 2 0 1 0 0 
			 Belfast 2 23 1 26 3 11 
			 Carrickfergus 0 2 0 1 0 2 
			 Castlereagh 0 6 0 2 0 6 
			 Coleraine 1 3 0 0 0 4 
			 Cookstown 0 2 0 2 0 0 
			 Craigavon 1 3 0 6 0 10 
			 Derry 0 6 0 7 4 12 
			 Down 0 3 0 4 1 4 
			 Dungannon 0 4 1 7 2 1 
			 Fermanagh 1 4 0 6 0 4 
			 Larne 0 3 0 1 0 0 
			 Limavady 0 5 0 6 0 3 
			 Lisburn 1 9 1 17 1 7 
			 Magherafelt 0 0 0 2 1 1 
			 Moyle 0 5 0 1 1 2 
			 Newry and Mourne 3 1 0 1 0 7 
			 Newtownabbey 1 4 0 7 0 5 
			 North Down 0 6 1 6 1 14 
			 Omagh 3 7 0 3 0 4 
			 Strabane 0 2 0 1 0 1 
		
	
	(34) So far.
	It should be noted that there is no direct correlation between the number of applications submitted per year and the number of decisions issued.

Telecommunications Masts

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he plans to put in place for telecommunication mast sharing.

Angela Smith: Prevailing planning policy for telecommunications development in Northern Ireland, set out in Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 10 'Telecommunications', already strongly encourages the sharing of masts where this represents the best environmental option in a particular case.
	To promote sharing through the planning process, the PPS advises that all applications for new masts should be accompanied by evidence that the possibility of erecting antennas on an existing building, mast or other structure has been explored and should outline the specific reasons why this course of action is not possible. Where the evidence regarding the consideration of alternative options is not considered satisfactory, then planning permission can be refused.

Vehicle Certification

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost of providing the vehicle testing service in Northern Ireland has been in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The cost of providing the vehicle test service in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			  Cost (000) 
		
		
			 200001 9,476 
			 200102 9,931 
			 200203 13,411 
			 200304 16,322 
			 200405 16,999

Vehicle Certification

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been received through vehicle test fees in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: Money received through vehicle tests in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years is set out in the table:
	
		
			  Fee earned (000) 
		
		
			 200001 9,113 
			 200102 10,161 
			 200203 14,155 
			 200304 18,097 
			 200405 18,395

Vehicle Certification

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the current average waiting time is for a vehicle test in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The current average waiting time for a vehicle test in Northern Ireland is currently 27 calendar days.

Warm Homes Scheme

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many households received funding from the Warm Homes Scheme in the last 12 months in each Westminster parliamentary constituency in the Province.

David Hanson: Under the Warm Homes Scheme, eligible applicants are provided with insulation measures. The Warm Homes Plus scheme provides heating and insulation measures for all eligible pensioners.
	The information is as follows:
	
		
			 Constituency Number of households in receipt of insulation measures(35) Number of households in receipt of heating measures(35) 
		
		
			 Belfast East 304 134 
			 Belfast North 477 235 
			 Belfast South 253 82 
			 Belfast West 508 246 
			 East Antrim 255 139 
			 East Londonderry 331 179 
			 Fermanagh/South Tyrone 476 319 
			 Foyle 627 232 
			 Lagan Valley 356 145 
			 Mid-Ulster 583 325 
			 Newry and Armagh 683 324 
			 North Antrim 379 192 
			 North Down 402 145 
			 South Antrim 392 209 
			 South Down 562 265 
			 Strangford 319 125 
			 Upper Bann 594 265 
			 West Tyrone 500 210 
		
	
	(35) These columns include those households which received both heating and insulation measures.

Water Rates

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was raised in gross revenue in domestic water rates in Northern Ireland in 200405; and how much he expects to be raised in (a) 200506 and (b) 200607.

Shaun Woodward: The Chief Executive of Water Service (Mrs. Katharine Bryan) has been asked to write to the hon. Lady in response to this question.
	Letter from Mrs. Katharine Bryan to Mrs. Caroline Spelman, dated 7 November 2005
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about the gross revenue raised from domestic water rates in Northern Ireland in 200405, and the estimated gross revenue for 200506 and 200607. I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Water Service.
	There are no domestic water charges in Northern Ireland and therefore no income has been or will be raised from water rates in the 3 year period to March 2007. In September this year, the Government announced that domestic water and sewerage charges would be introduced in Northern Ireland from 1 April 2007.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

0870 Numbers

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by her Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Bill Rammell: The Department for Education and Skills currently has nine non-geographic 0870 numbers in use as follows:
	
		
			  Number of lines 
		
		
			 Main DfES Switchboard Number 1 
			 Public Communications Unit (PCU) 1 
			 Office of the Schools Adjudicator (OSA) 1 
			 Special Educational Needs Tribunal (SEN Tribunal) 5 
			 EDUBASE (Provision of schools data to the public) 1 
		
	
	The Department for Education and Skills does not participate in revenue share schemes associated with 0870 telephone numbers and therefore derives no revenue from the use of these numbers.

16 to 18-year-olds

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what proportion of young people aged 16 to 18 were (a) in full-time education, (b) in employment, (c) in training and (d) not in education, employment or training in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.

Bill Rammell: Tables showing numbers and proportions of 16 and 17-year-olds in (a) full-time education and (c) work based learning (e.g. apprenticeships) are available at local authority level for 1997 onwards. These were published in the Statistical First Release Participation in education and training by 16 and 17 year olds in each local area in England. Figures for 18-year-olds are not available at a local level.
	The publication is accessible on the DfES website via the link:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000568/index.shtml
	The specific figures are available through the following link:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000568/SFR112005tables_lea.xls
	Information for young people (b) in employment and (d) not in education, employment or training (NEET) are not available at local authority level.

Ability Grouping

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of lessons is recorded as set by ability in (a) Year 7, (b) Year 8, (c) Year 9, (d) Year 10 and (e) Year 11 in secondary schools inspected by Ofsted between 1995 and 2004.

Jacqui Smith: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, David Bell, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of his letter has been placed in the Library.
	Letter from David Bell to Mr. Nick Gibb, dated 8 November 2005
	Your recent parliamentary question has been referred to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of schools, for reply.
	You asked what percentage of lessons is recorded as set by ability in (a) Year 7, (b) Year 8, (c) Year 9, (d) Year 10 and (e) Year 11 in secondary schools inspected by Ofsted between 1995 and 2004.
	The tables (attached) show the percentage of lessons seen by inspectors during the academic years 1996/97 and 2002/03. The data were not recorded by inspectors for 1995/96 and in 2003/04 inspectors were not required to distinguish between setting and banding in the information they recorded about lessons.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Jacqui Smith and will be placed in the library of both Houses.
	
		
			  199697 199798 199899 19992000 
			 Year group Total number of lessons Percentage of setted lessons Total number of lessons Percentage of setted lessons Total number of lessons Percentage of setted lessons Total number of lessons Percentage of setted lessons 
		
		
			 Year 7 27,542 16.4 16,414 20.6 22,361 19.8 17,544 19.9 
			 Year8 27,431 30.8 16,341 32.8 21,792 35.6 16,769 35.2 
			 Year 9 27,161 37.9 16,692 40.6 23,489 41.9 18,810 41.0 
			 Year 10 24,651 39.0 17,047 38.2 24,481 37.9 18,536 38.2 
			 Year 11 38,008 36.0 17,686 38.1 24,543 39.3 18,490 39.6 
			 Total Year 711 144,793 32.2 84,180 34.2 116,666 35.1 90,149 35.0 
		
	
	
		
			  200001 200102 200203 
			 Year group Total number of lessons Percentage of setted lesson Total number of lessons Percentage of setted lesson Total number of lessons Percentage of setted lesson 
		
		
			 Year 7 14,011 24.3 12,532 25.8 11,257 27.9 
			 Year8 13,416 40.3 11,552 37.7 10,255 38.4 
			 Year 9 16,117 46.0 14,388 43.8 13,152 43.3 
			 Year 10 14,802 41.0 13,212 38.3 12,073 37.1 
			 Year 11 15,108 42.6 13,812 40.6 12,982 39.9 
			 Total Year 711 73,454 39.1 65,496 37.5 59,719 37.6 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Framework changes occurred in January 2000 and September 2003. Changes in the way groupings in lessons were recorded may mean that data are not directly comparable from periods of one framework to another.
	2. From January 2000 to July 2003, the inspection arrangements included full and short inspections. The majority of lessons observed will have been in full inspections. The most effective schools had short inspections.

Academies

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what freedoms are available to academies that will not be automatically available to Trust schools.

Jacqui Smith: Academies are fully independent of the local authority, and have considerable freedoms around staffing, curriculum and governance. They have the freedom to establish their own pay and conditions system for staff with the exception of those who transfer from the predecessor school under TUPE. They must offer a broad and balanced curriculum, and have the freedom to establish this in their own innovative way, with the assistance of the Department. Academy sponsors can appoint the entire governing body, except for three places which are reserved for an LEA representative, and elected parent and staff representatives.
	Trust schools are part of the local authority family of schools. Like other maintained schools they must follow the Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document and the National Curriculum, unless they demonstrate that proposed changes will raise standards and obtain permission to innovate from the Secretary of State. In terms of governance, Trusts will be able to appoint a majority of governors and places will be reserved for representatives of parents, staff, LEA and the community.

Admissions Code

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will publish the responses to the Consultation on the Draft Admissions Code; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: We expect to be able to publish results on the Department's Consultation website by early Decemberwell within the three months of the end of consultation time scale recommended by the Cabinet Office.

Avian Influenza

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues about the advice to be issued to schools in the event of a civil contingency caused by the outbreak of an avian influenza pandemic.

Phil Hope: This Department has taken part in discussions with ministerial colleagues, which are to continue. In due course, the Government will issue interim advice to local emergency planners, which will include advice on schools.

Call Centres

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many call centres were run by her Department and its agencies in (a) 200304, (b) 200405 and (c) 200506 to date; and how many and what proportion of calls (i) were handled by an adviser, (ii) were received but abandoned and (iii) received an engaged tone.

Bill Rammell: The Department operated one call centre (the DfES Publications Line) in 200304, 200405 and 200506 to date. Call answering statistics for each of these years for this call centre are:
	
		
			  200304 200405 2005061 
		
		
			 Calls handled by an adviser 547,477 543,264 245,042 
			 
			 Calls receiving engaged tone 4,492 2,224 2,131 
			 Percentage of total 0.8 0.4 0.87 
			 
			 Calls abandoned 9,250 8,984 3,912 
			 Percentage of total 1.6 1.6 1.6 
		
	
	(36) To date.
	The Department currently has no Agencies and did not have any in the years covered by the question.

Child Care

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many child care places were available in each of the past 10 years in Cleethorpes constituency.

Beverley Hughes: The Department is unable to provide details of available child care places in the past 10 years, additionally we are unable to provide details of places within each constituency. Statistics have only been collected by local authority area since 1999 following the introduction of the National Childcare Strategy for England.
	The following table details the stock of child care places in North East Lincolnshire, each year since 1999.
	
		Stock of child care places
		
			 March Number 
		
		
			 1999 154 
			 2000 73 
			 2001 611 
			 2002 930 
			 2003 1,578 
			 2004 2,199 
			 2005 2,597

Disabled Students' Allowance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many staff are employed to deal with applications for the disabled students' allowance.

Bill Rammell: Applications for disabled students' allowances (DSAs) are handled by awards officers in local authorities, which decide individually on appropriate staffing levels. The Open university acts similarly with regard to students on OU courses receiving DSAs. Statistics of local authority and OU staff administering student support applications are not kept centrally.

Education Funding

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many hon. Members (a) she, (b) the Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education and (c) the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills have met formally since February to discuss (i) adult education and (ii) funding for 16 to 19-year-olds in schools and colleges.

Phil Hope: The Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Skills also invited all hon. Members to attend open meetings in June on funding for further education. 39 hon. Members accepted although no formal record was made of attendance at the meetings.
	The Secretary of State for Education and Skills has met three hon. Members formally since February to discuss funding for 16 to 19-year-olds in schools and colleges.
	The Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education has, since February, formally met: one hon. Member to discuss adult education; one hon. Member to discuss funding for 16 to 19-year-olds in schools and colleges; and four hon. Members to discuss both.
	The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Skills has, since February, formally met: two hon. Members to discuss funding for 16 to 19-year-olds; and one hon. Member to discuss both adult education and funding for 16 to 19-year-olds.

Extended Schools

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what criteria will be used by local authorities in deciding which schools receive priority for extended school funding;
	(2)  how many extended schools she expects will operate in each of the most deprived local authorities, as defined by the Index of Local Deprivation, by 2008;
	(3)  what steps she will take to ensure that access to 'charged for services' in extended schools is maximised among families who are (a) unwaged and (b) in receipt of tax credit.

Beverley Hughes: It will be for each local authority, in discussion with all schools in their area, to take a strategic approach to developing access to extended services through schools. As part of that strategy, local authorities and schools will need to take into account a number of factors such as what services are already available in the local community, levels of deprivation and how the proposed extended services will be delivered. Funding will be released to schools in accordance with that strategy. The aim is to avoid schools 'bidding' for funding but ensure that funding is released against the priorities identified. A key priority will be to fill gaps in services, such as child care. We anticipate that there will be gaps in services in many deprived communities and hence these areas will be prioritised.
	The Government's aim is that half of all primary schools and a third of all secondary schools will be offering access to a core set of extended services by 2008. We anticipate that many of then will be located in areas of high deprivation (in allocating the funding we have factored in deprivation levels into the distribution formula). We are providing 840 million to support the development of extended services.
	For some of these services, such as child care, we expect them to become sustainable longer term by charging. Parents on low income may be eligible to apply for the child care element of the working tax credit to support the cost of school based child care. Local authorities are well placed to provide schools and parents with advice on accessing the tax credits available and can work with schools to encourage greater take up of tax credits in deprived communities. We will expect children from unwaged families to access a good range of study support activities free of charge through schools. In addition to the resources that schools already have within their existing budgets for study support programmes, the Government is investing a further 335 million by 200708 for secondary schools to develop a more personalised programme of study support. For those schools with the highest number of pupils who have fallen behind in their learning, the Government will provide a further 60 million shared between the primary and secondary sectors in each of 200607 and 200708. Every school should therefore be well placed to ensure that every child in their school has access, free of charge, to the study support that they need. For other services such as health and social care and adult learning opportunities, local authorities, using children's trust arrangements, will be able to provide resources to support services in deprived areas where that is appropriate.

Extended Schools

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the potential requirement for additional training of staff for extended schools.

Beverley Hughes: My department has made available 680 million over the next two years for schools and local authorities to deliver extended services. This is in addition to the 160 million that we have already spent. This funding can be used flexibly by local authorities and schools to overcome any barriers to the development of extended services. We anticipate that some of this funding will be used to ensure that staff working in extended services get the training and support they need in their roles, including on important issues such as health and safety requirements. We have made it clear from the outset that there is no expectation that teachers will deliver these services. Schools will need to work with existing providers from both the private and voluntary sectors and other children's services and make good use of their expertise and skills. It may also be the case that, following consultation, some existing school support staff may be interested in taking up some of these roles. We have also appointed the National Remodelling Team, within the Training and Development Agency, to work with schools to ensure that they have the right skills in place for developing extended services.

Foreign Language Degrees

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students have studied a foreign language at degree level in an English university in the last 10 years after living for over five years in the country where the foreign language is the native tongue.

Bill Rammell: Information is not held centrally on the number of native foreign language speakers taking degrees in their native language at English universities. The Higher Education Statistics Agency collects data annually on the number of overseas students enrolled at English higher education institutions but they do not collect data on the native language of students. The available information from HESA shows the number of foreign domiciled students studying the language of their country of domicile, but it does not necessarily follow that students from a particular overseas country will be a native speaker of that country.

Free Transport

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in (a) England, (b) Staffordshire and (c) Tamworth receive free transport to (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools.

Jacqui Smith: A joint survey conducted by DfES, the Confederation of Education and Childrens Service Managers, and the Audit Commission, covering local authority school transport policies, expenditure and pupil numbers carried, was published for the first time in January 2004. It reported that about 700,000 pupils received free and assisted home to school to mainstream schools in England, and that just over 7,500 pupils received free or assisted transport to mainstream schools in Staffordshire in 2001/02. No more detailed information is available.

Further Education

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when (a) the Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, (b) the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills and (c) she was informed orally or in writing of the conclusions of the Learning and Skills Development Agency's report entitled The Funding GapFunding in schools and colleges for full-time students aged 16 to 18; and if she will make available the minutes of discussions on the report.

Bill Rammell: The Learning and Skills Development Agency's report was commissioned by the Learning and Skills Council as part of their agenda for change proposals. My predecessor and the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills were made aware of the conclusion of the work being undertaken by LSDA to assess the size of the gap in early March 2005 and the Secretary of State was informed shortly after. However, there were no detailed discussions of the conclusions of the report until the end of June 2005, shortly before the report was made public. There are no minutes of discussions on this report. The Minister of State for Schools and 1419 Learning signalled in her statement to the House of Commons on 21 July that we intend to explore the scope for addressing the technical anomalies between the school sixth form and further education funding systems. We aim to announce decisions on the way forward shortly.

Further Education

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her most recent assessment is of the comparative performance of students studying in (a) sixth-form colleges, (b) further education colleges and (c) sixth-forms in schools; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Comparable data for sixth form colleges (SFCs), general further education colleges (GFECs) and sixth-forms in schools are available for people studying for GCE and VCE A/AS-levels and Key Skills at level 3 qualifications.
	When data are adjusted for prior attainment (average GCSE grade attained in year 11) there is a small performance advantage for SFCs over schools (about one tenth of a grade in each A-level taken) and for schools over GFECs (about one sixth of a grade in each A-level taken).
	Further information can be found in paragraphs 85 to 90 of the DfES document: Success for All Delivery PlanEvidence Report.
	(http://www.successforall.gov.uk/index.cfm?pg=160)

GCSEs

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what proportion of 15-year-olds achieved five or more grades at (a) A* to C and (b) A* to G at GCSE, excluding equivalents, in each year since 1995.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested can be found in the following table:
	
		
			   GCSE only(37) 
			  Number of 15-year-old pupils2 (thousands) Number achieving 5+A*-C (thousands) Percentage achieving 5+A*-C Number achieving 5+A*-G (thousands) Percentage achieving 5+A*-G 
		
		
			 2005(39) 637.2 325.0 51.0 555.2 87.1 
			 2004 643.6 322.8 50.2 564.4 87.7 
			 2003 622.1 310.2 49.9 549.5 88.3 
			 2002 606.6 303.7 50.1 537.8 88.7 
			 2001 603.3 297.4 49.3 535.2 88.7 
			 2000 580.4 282.9 48.7 515.4 88.8 
			 1999 581.0 276.3 47.6 513.3 88.4 
			 1998 575.2 264.9 46.1 502.8 87.4 
			 1997 586.8 264.2 45.0 506.9 86.4 
			 1996 594.0 264.5 44.5 511.5 86.1 
			 1995 578.2 251.4 43.5 495.5 85.7 
		
	
	(37) This includes GCSE full courses only, GCSE Short courses and vocational GCSEs are not included in these figures.
	(38) Age at the beginning of the academic year (i.e. 31st of August).
	(39) Figures for 2005 are provisional. All other figures are final.

Grandparents (Child Care Arrangements)

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on grandparents who are raising their grandchildren full-time.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 20 November 2005
	The Department for Education and Skills has not commissioned research specifically on grandparents who are raising their children full-time. The Department regularly reviews available research evidence on different aspects of parenting, including fostering by relatives, to inform policy development. It recently published a comprehensive review of research on foster care 1 which includes evidence on the role of relatives as foster carers. Nearly half of these relatives are grandparents.
	1 'Fostering Now: messages from research', Ian Sinclair, 2005. Published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers on behalf of DfES.

Homework Clubs

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding has been allocated to homework clubs in schools in (a) Dacorum and (b) Hertfordshire in 200506.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not available. Homework clubs may form part of a school's or local authority's study support (out of school hours learning) programme, for which funding is available through their base budgets, and the School Development Grant (SDG). Schools and local authorities may use their SDG for any purposes linked to school improvement, and it is for them to determine the amount to be allocated to study support.
	Study support forms an integral part of the Government's extended services agenda, which will require schools to offer a varied menu of activities from 8 am to 6 pm year round, including during school holidays. Additional funding of 680 million is being made available up to 2008 to support the start up of extended services in schools.

Learning and Skills Council

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) of 18 October 2005, Official Report, column 961W, on the Learning and Skills Council, what the cost of support per capita was at each level.

Bill Rammell: The following table shows the funding per learner for the academic year 2003/04, by level of qualification:
	
		Table 1: Funding per learner by level of qualification, 2003/04(40)
		
			 Level Cost per learner 2003/04 () 
		
		
			 Below level 2 540 
			 Full level 2 1,140 
			 Part level 2 520 
			 Full level 3 1,540 
			 Part level 3 740 
			 Level not specified 230 
		
	
	(40) These funding per learner is an annual cost and not whole qualification costs.

Learning and Skills Council

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what role the Learning and Skills Council played in developing the support strategy set up for redundant Rover workers.

Bill Rammell: The LSC played a central role in developing a support package that reduced the devastating impact on individuals and the West Midlands economy of the closure of MG Rover. Working with a range of partners, including Jobcentre Plus, the LSC put in place a range of measures including:
	A manufacturing Job Match Hotlinefor all companies who were interested in taking over former MG Rover employees.
	A 22 million package of support drawn from European Funds to support training and to help fund skills advisors who have worked with 3,500 workers to develop individual skills needs plans.
	Funding skills advisors to work in Business Link offices to help identify company and employee skills needs.
	Establishing a network of Further Education Colleges across the West Midlands to co-ordinate an offer for retraining opportunities through colleges and other providers.
	Placing more than 2,500 people into tailored retraining programmes and supporting almost 600 people, through re-skilling them, into alternative jobs in manufacturing.

Learning and Skills Council

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the savings to be made by the Learning and Skills Council as a result of the changes to running costs announced on 16 September in (a) 200506, (b) 200607 and (c) 200708.

Bill Rammell: The LSC's core administration costs have fallen steadily from 4.6 per cent. of total funding in 200102, to 2.5 per cent. of its planned total budget in 200506. The LSC's Administration Budget for 200506 is almost 255 million. The Administration Budget for future years was set out in the Secretary of State's Grant Letter issued on 31 October 2005. This Grant Letter provides the LSC with just over 252 million (2.4 per cent. of planned total budget) for 200607 and just under 240 million (2.2 per cent. of planned total budget) for 200708 to cover its administration costs including the cost of capital and depreciation. This reflects efficiency savings already agreed. It is too early to say what further savings will arise. The overall Administration Budget will be reassessed when the results of the consultation on the LSC's Agenda for Change, particularly its restructuring, are finalised. Further savings could then be released to the sector.

Learning and Skills Development Agency

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what effect she expects (a) the splitting of the Learning and Skills Development Agency and (b) the establishment of the Learning and Skills Network to have on costs; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Re-structuring the Learning and Skills Development Agency to form the Learning and Skills Network and the Quality Improvement Agency for Lifelong Learning will enable us to achieve significant efficiency savings in future years in line with the Department's commitments to the Gershon Review. It is a key part of our streamlining and rationalisation programme to reduce costs and complexity in the sector.

National Skills Academies

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many of those graduating from national skills academies since they were established have found work in the sectors for which they were trained;
	(2)  how many of those graduating from national skills academies since they were established left with (a) Level 2, (b) Level 3 and (c) Level 4 qualifications;
	(3)  how many young people have studied in national skills academies since they were established;
	(4)  how many young people have successfully completed courses at national skills academies since they were established;
	(5)  how many of those graduating from national skills academies since their inception have gone on to higher education.

Phil Hope: The Fashion Retail Academy opened in September 2005 with 50 students studying at Level 2 and Level 3. Building on this, we announced on 31 October that a further four sectors would be supported to develop their proposals for national skills academies through more detailed business planning. It is therefore too early to provide any information on students graduating from national skills academies.

National Skills Academies

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the contribution from public funds to the four proposed national skills academies will be; and how much funding will come from industry.

Phil Hope: Public funds will be available to help meet the four sectors further develop their proposals for national skills academies (including, for example, business planning and research and development costs). If these proposals are accepted, funding may then be available to support the capital and revenue costs of each academy. The amount will be negotiated by the Learning and Skills Council with each sector and will depend on the size and nature of each proposal.
	Capital funding will be available to support the up front investment required to establish a national skills academy. This will be drawn from a range of contributors. On average, around 35 per cent. will come from Government via the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), 50 per cent. from employers sponsoring the academy and the remaining 15 per cent. from a range of other sources and partners.
	The day to day revenue income of national skills academies will be earned by delivering skills training and will come from a variety of sources including the LSC and from employers purchasing training services.

National Skills Academies

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what role the skills councils of the relevant industries will have in each of the proposed National Skills academies.

Phil Hope: Expressions of Interest to develop a National Skills Academy must have the formal endorsement of the relevant Sector Skills Council. Each of the four proposals to develop National Skills Academies now moving into detailed business planning are led by a Sector Skills Council. We expect the Sector Skills Councils to continue to work with employers and other key partners to develop business models, governance and other arrangements which meet the needs of their sectors.

Nursery Places

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many nursery places were available through the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative in each participating authority in 200405; and what the average cost per place was in each area.

Beverley Hughes: The Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative aimed to create 45,000 new full-time child care and early education places for children aged 0 to 5 in the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged areas in England by March 2004. 100 million of capital funding from the New Opportunities Fund (now the Big Lottery Fund), 28 million of Sure Start capital and 243 million of start-up revenue funding from the Sure Start Unit was made available to 142 of the 150 local authorities to support the development and delivery of these places. The places have been developed through a diverse range of local and national providers and are intended to be responsive to local needs and preferences. By end March 2005, over 49,000 places across over 1,390 neighbourhood nursery projects had been delivered.
	Information on the number of nursery places open as part of the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative in each participating local authority in 200405 is in the following table.
	Information on the average cost per place in each area is not available. One of the conditions set for all providers taking part in the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative was that fees charged should not exceed the level of help available to parents towards the costs of child care through the working tax credit for the period that the nursery received its initial start-up funding from the Government.
	
		
			 Local authority Places 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 307 
			 Barnet 68 
			 Barnsley 808 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 130 
			 Bedfordshire 220 
			 Bexley 160 
			 Birmingham 1,435 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 743 
			 Blackpool 276 
			 Bolton 456 
			 Bournemouth 205 
			 Bracknell Forest 56 
			 Bradford 719 
			 Brent 288 
			 Brighton and Hove 205 
			 Bristol 509 
			 Bromley 63 
			 Buckinghamshire 109 
			 Bury 452 
			 Calderdale 278 
			 Cambridgeshire 105 
			 Camden 60 
			 Cheshire 315 
			 Cornwall 539 
			 Coventry 518 
			 Croydon 196 
			 Cumbria 667 
			 Darlington 155 
			 Derby 330 
			 Derbyshire 331 
			 Devon 240 
			 Doncaster 448 
			 Dorset 123 
			 Dudley 380 
			 Durham County 769 
			 Ealing 352 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 163 
			 East Sussex 260 
			 Enfield 167 
			 Essex 296 
			 Gateshead 458 
			 Gloucestershire 190 
			 Greenwich 312 
			 Hackney 780 
			 Halton 315 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 311 
			 Hampshire 317 
			 Haringey 270 
			 Hartlepool 291 
			 Havering 100 
			 Herefordshire 211 
			 Hertfordshire 72 
			 Hillingdon 70 
			 Hounslow 220 
			 Isle of Wight 221 
			 Islington 261 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 227 
			 Kent County 607 
			 Kingston upon Hull 377 
			 Kirklees 470 
			 Knowsley 389 
			 Lambeth 524 
			 Lancashire 809 
			 Leeds 730 
			 Leicester City 378 
			 Leicestershire 180 
			 Lewisham 576 
			 Lincolnshire 250 
			 Liverpool 620 
			 Luton 366 
			 Manchester 827 
			 Medway 264 
			 Merton 94 
			 Middlesbrough 370 
			 Milton Keynes 140 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 567 
			 Newham 580 
			 Norfolk 397 
			 North East Lincolnshire 352 
			 North Lincolnshire 340 
			 North Somerset 119 
			 North Tyneside 369 
			 North Yorkshire 267 
			 Northamptonshire 327 
			 Northumberland 579 
			 Nottingham City 520 
			 Nottinghamshire 626 
			 Oldham 477 
			 Oxfordshire 298 
			 Peterborough 252 
			 Plymouth 461 
			 Poole 206 
			 Portsmouth City 245 
			 Reading 234 
			 Redbridge 272 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 336 
			 Rochdale 261 
			 Rotherham 361 
			 Salford 350 
			 Sandwell 430 
			 Sefton 291 
			 Sheffield 724 
			 Shropshire 210 
			 Slough 257 
			 Solihull 265 
			 Somerset 363 
			 South Gloucestershire 60 
			 South Tyneside 427 
			 Southampton 239 
			 Southend 171 
			 Southwark 449 
			 St. Helens 373 
			 Staffordshire 425 
			 Stockport 263 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 320 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 491 
			 Suffolk 461 
			 Sunderland (City of) 764 
			 Surrey 75 
			 Sutton 178 
			 Swindon 110 
			 Tameside 405 
			 Telford and Wrekin 459 
			 Thurrock 275 
			 Torbay 358 
			 Tower Hamlets 329 
			 Trafford 168 
			 Wakefield 596 
			 Walsall 505 
			 Waltham Forest 368 
			 Wandsworth 105 
			 Warrington 200 
			 Warwickshire 260 
			 West Sussex 276 
			 Westminster 240 
			 Wigan 315 
			 Wiltshire 252 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 84 
			 Wirral 369 
			 Wolverhampton 480 
			 Worcestershire 305 
			 York 125 
			 Total places 2004/05 49,114

Nursery Places

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Braintree constituency attended nursery in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and how many children in Braintree have taken up free nursery places since the policy was introduced.

Beverley Hughes: All four-year-olds have been entitled to a free early education place since 1998 and from April 2004 this entitlement was extended to all three-year-olds. The free entitlement consists of a minimum of five two and a half hour sessions per week for 33 weeks of the year for six terms before statutory school age, which is the term following their fifth birthday.
	Some local authorities may additionally offer subsidised child care places but this information is not collected centrally.
	Figures for January 2005 show that all fouryear-old children receive some form of free entitlement. The figure for threeyear-olds is 96 per cent. This covers all maintained, private, voluntary and independent providers and represents 535,100 three-year-olds and 568,300 four-year-olds.
	The available information on the number of free nursery education places taken up by three and four-year-olds in Braintree parliamentary constituency area and Essex local authority is shown in the tables. For 2005, information for private and voluntary providers is available for Essex but not currently available for Braintree constituency.
	The latest figures on early education places for three and four-year-olds in England were published in Statistical First Release 43/2005 Provision for children under five years of age in EnglandJanuary 2005 (final) in September, which is available on my Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/
	
		Number of free nursery education places(41) taken up by three and four-year-oldsBraintree parliamentary constituency. Position in January each year.
		
			  Three-year-olds Fouryear-olds 
			  Maintained nursery and primary schools(42) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers(43) Maintained nursery and primary schools(44) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers(45) 
		
		
			 2004 150 940 970 400 
			 2005 150 n/a 890 n/a 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.
	(41) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate.
	(42) Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools1 Census.
	(43) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	(44) Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(45) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	
		Number of free nursery education places(46) taken up three and four-year-oldslocal authority Essex. Position in January each year
		
			  Threeyear-olds Four-year-olds 
			  Maintained nursery and primary schools(47) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers Total three-year-olds Maintained nursery and primary schools(48) Other maintained private, voluntary and independent providers Total four-year-olds 
		
		
			 1997 1,600 n/a 1,600 n/a n/a (49)14,000 
			 1998 1,900 n/a 1,900 n/a n/a (49)15,000 
			 1999 2,000 n/a 2,000 n/a n/a (49)15,200 
			 2000 2,000 (50)0 2,000 n/a n/a (49)15,100 
			 2001 2,000 (50)220 2,200 n/a n/a (49)15,100 
			 2002 2,000 (50)6,700 8,700 10,400 (49)4,700 15,100 
			 2003 2,000 (50)9,500 11,500 10,400 (51)4,600 15,000 
			 2004 2,000 (52)9,700 11,700 10,500 (53)4,500 15,000 
			 2005 1,900 (52)10,000 11,900 9,900 (53)4,500 14,400 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.
	(46) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate.
	(47) Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools Census.
	(48) Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools Census.
	(49) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise.
	(50) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise.
	(51) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census supplementary data collection exercise and the Annual Schools Census.
	(52) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools Census.
	(53) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools Census.
	Changes in pupil figures may arise from changes to the underlying population in the local authority area and other factors. However, my Department does not publish population figures for individual age cohorts at sub-national level because of the unreliability of the underlying population estimates. The Office for National Statistics publish sub-national population estimates in five-year age bands.

Olympic Games

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the construction industry is anticipating a skills shortage due to the building requirements of the London 2012 Olympics.

Phil Hope: The construction industry estimates that it will need to grow its Olympic work force to a peak of 7,500 employees by 2010. This will equate to no more than 3 per cent. of construction related employment in greater London (in 2010).
	Coordination of construction projects in London and across the UK, together with the development by CITB-ConstructionSkills of a dedicated skills academy for the Olympics site will ensure we have an effective response to the skills needs generated by the London 2012 Olympics.

Overseas Students

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will relax the three year residency requirement for overseas students in respect of publicly funded further education courses equipping people to work in the NHS and social services.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 7 November 2005
	My Department have no plans to review the policy regarding the three year residency requirement. We do recognise the needs of the NHS and social services, however, publicly funded education and training cannot be made available for non-EU nationals. All adults seeking to qualify for publicly funded education and training must satisfy the three year residency rule or other criteria specified by the Learning and Skills Council which funds post-16 learning in England. This requirement applies equally to UK citizens who have not been resident in the UK/EEU. This long standing residency requirement reflects the Government's view that it is reasonable to expect a person to have established a relevant connection with the UK before being allowed to benefit from funding provided by UK taxpayers.
	Employers, public or private, who bring workers from outside the EU into this country have a clear responsibility to ensure they have the skills required for their jobs.

Personalised Learning

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of (a) the staff required and (b) the workforce development programme needed to deliver more personalised learning in schools.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 1 November 2005
	Many schools have tailored the curriculum and teaching methods to meet the needs of pupils with great success for many years. We now want this to be common practice across all schools, particularly for children at either end of the ability spectrum whose needs can be the most challenging to meet.
	It is for schools to determine their strategies and priorities for workforce deployment to deliver personalised learning. Schools are in the best position to identify their pupils' teaching and learning needs; and with the support of the Government's Primary and Secondary National Strategies, to determine how best to invest their resources and to access workforce development programmes to deliver them. Many schools are employing staff other than teachers to support pupils and teachers as part of a professional school team.
	We will support schools by allocating 335 million by 200708, specifically earmarked within our Dedicated Schools Grant, to provide the resources secondary schools need to deliver personalised learning in key stage 3. For those schools with the highest numbers of children who have fallen behind we will provide a further targeted 60 million in each of 200607 and 200708, shared across the primary and secondary sectors, to provide more effective one-to-one and small group tuition.
	Through the National Strategies we will provide new resources and best practice guidance so that all schools will have a workforce that is well-equipped to tailor teaching and learning for those pupils who have fallen behind in English and maths. This will include material on the use of ICT and ways to engage and support parents in contributing to their children's learning. We propose to introduce a national training programme so that every school will have an expert leading professional to drive personalisation across the whole school, make best use of the new resources available and personalise learning to the needs of each pupil.

Postgraduate Certificate in Education

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many physically disabled people have gained the Postgraduate Certificate in Education in each year since 1997.

Bill Rammell: The latest information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  1997/98 1998/99 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 
		
		
			 Number of students obtaining PGCEs 15,870 15,590 15,300 16,925 18,530 20,415 23,325 
			 of which, those with:
			 Physical disabilities(54) 70 50 45 50 75 70 90 
			 Other disabilities(55) 350 375 345 430 580 695 880 
			 No known disability 14,580 14,580 14,025 15,880 17,465 19,250 21,755 
			 Not known(56) 870 585 885 565 410 400 600 
		
	
	(54) Includes students who recorded their disability as blind, deaf, wheelchair users or with personal care support.
	(55) Includes students who recorded their disability as mental health difficulties, dyslexia, an unseen disability, multiple disabilities, or any other disability.
	(56) Not all students indicated whether or not they had a disability.
	Source:
	Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.

Qualifications

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of (a) 19-year-olds and (b) 59 to 64-year-olds are economically inactive and do not have a Level 2 qualification.

Bill Rammell: From the summer 2005 Labour Force Survey we estimate that (a) 7.0 per cent. of 19 to 21-year-olds and (b) 11.0 per cent. of 59 to 64-year-olds in England are economically inactive and do not have a Level 2 qualification.
	For comparison, 9.8 per cent. of the adult population in England are economically inactive and do not have a Level 2 qualification.

School Admissions

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research she has commissioned on the effect of current school admissions policies on house prices in the vicinity of popular schools.

Jacqui Smith: The Secretary of State has not commissioned specific research of this type. However, we are aware of research by Professor Steven Machin and Dr. Steve Gibbons in 2001 which shows that more affluent parents, who can afford to move into the catchment area of popular schools, drive up house prices. This makes it harder for children from disadvantaged backgrounds to secure places.
	Our White Paper Higher Standards, Better Schools For AllMore choice for parents and pupils outlines our proposals to extend choice and open up access to schools for more parents, underpinned by a fair admissions system.

School Sports

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of (a) primary and (b) secondary state schools in England offer pupils the chance to participate in (i) baseball, (ii) basketball, (iii) volleyball, (iv) handball and (v) softball.

Jacqui Smith: This information is not collected in the format requested. However, the 2004/05 School Sport Survey of schools in School Sport Partnerships collected data relating to the range of sports which schools provided for their pupils. No schools in the survey reported providing baseball or handball for their pupils in 2004/05. 16 per cent. of schools provided softball for their pupils; 25 per cent. provided volleyball; and 63 per cent. provided basketball. Overall, schools provided an average of 15 different sports for their pupils. The results of the survey were published in September this year and copies have been placed in the House Libraries.

Qualification Statistics

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of the working age population in (a) Hemel Hempstead constituency and (b) Hertfordshire hold a qualification (i) at degree level and (ii) above degree level.

Bill Rammell: This data is not available in precisely the form requested. Table 1 shows the proportion of the working age population with a level 4/level 5 qualification 1 , as their highest qualification held: so for those with both first and higher degree qualifications, only the latter is recorded (under Level 5). Data comes from the Local Labour Force Survey for 200405.
	1 Level 4 qualifications include first degree, NVQ level 4 and sub-degree higher education qualifications such as teaching and nursing certificates, HNC/HNDs, other HE diplomas and other qualifications at level 4. Level 5 qualifications include higher degrees and NVQ level 5.
	
		Table 1: Proportion of the working age population holding a level 4/level 5 qualification, as their highest qualification held.
		
			 Percentage 
			  Level 4 Level 5 
		
		
			 Hemel Hempstead 26.2 (57)6.4 
			 Hertfordshire 25.5 6.9 
			 England 20.6 5.3 
		
	
	(57) This estimate is based on a small sample size and is therefore subject to a higher degree of sampling variability. It should therefore be treated with caution.
	Note:
	The working age population is defined as males and females aged 1664 and 1659 respectively.
	Source:
	Local Labour Force Survey for 2004/05.

Schools White Paper

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills further to her oral statement of 25 October 2005, Official Report, column 170, on the Schools White Paper, if she will set out her proposals for incentives to encourage schools to tailor educational provision to the needs of each child.

Jacqui Smith: Many schools have tailored the curriculum and teaching methods to meet the needs of pupils with great success for many years. We now want this to be common practice across all schools, particularly for children at either end of the ability spectrum whose needs can be the most challenging to meet.
	We will therefore allocate 335 million by 200708, specifically earmarked within our Dedicated Schools Grant, to provide the resources secondary schools need to start delivering personalised learning for pupils in Key Stage 3, particularly for those who have fallen behind in literacy and numeracy and for those who are gifted or talented. For those schools with the highest numbers of children who have fallen behind we will provide a further targeted 60 million in each of 200607 and 200708, shared across the primary and secondary sectors, to provide more effective one-to-one and small group tuition. We will also provide all schools with best practice materials, guidance and access to training on the most effective teaching and learning strategies to personalise learning to the needs of each pupil.
	Through School Improvement Partners and the new Ofsted inspection regime we will challenge every school to demonstrate they are planning and delivering effective tailored teaching and learning for every child, including the gift and talented. And the achievement and attainment tables for 2006 will show schools' success in ensuring pupils achieve not only five good GCSEs but also in the fundamentals of English and mathematics.

Scottish Universities

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make representations to the Scottish Executive on its proposals to treat English students in Scottish universities differently in terms of student costs and finance from other students within the European Union.

Bill Rammell: The Scottish Executive informed us of their proposed fee levels for all UK and EU students studying at Scottish universities from 2006.
	However, following devolution they have full responsibility for the fees charged to all students studying at Scottish institutions, and the support arrangements for students domiciled in Scotland and EU students studying there. While we will ensure that students domiciled in England and studying in Scotland have the necessary fee support available to them, we will not be making any representation to the Scottish Executive on this issue.

Social Care Staff

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what information the Children, Young People and Families Workforce Development Council has received on the number of (a) domiciliary care workers, (b) outreach workers, (c) residential child workers, (d) social care managers and (e) staff responsible for recruitment and supervision of social care staff who will be covered by future requirements for registration with the General Social Care Council.

Maria Eagle: Responsibility for registering categories of social care staff lies with the General Social Care Council (GSCC). Responsibility for collecting numbers of staff is divided between Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) for those working with children and young people and Skills for Care for those working with adults. Data will be collected through the new National Minimum Data Set for Social Care (NMDS-SC), launched on 20 October.
	At present, the CWDC only has limited data collected from the local authority SSDS001 census of Social Care staff, so figures are likely to be revised as the NMDS-SC data is refreshed and the GSCC sets out its priority order for registration. Current data made available to the CWDC is as follows:
	(a) Domiciliary care staff: SSDS001 gives around 2300 in England employed by local authorities. It is not known what proportion of these work with children.
	(b) Outreach workers: There is no category for these workers in the SSDS001the closest are community workers in children's services. These number 1,455 as employed by local authorities.
	(c) Residential child workers: The estimated number of these staff is 26,575 across all sectors. This includes managers, social care staff and other supervisory roles.
	(d) Social care managers: The number of social care managers in local authority operational children's services field teams is 3,550.
	(e) Staff responsible for (i) recruitment and (ii) supervision of social care staff: (i) may be different from (ii) inasmuch as there are HR staff and planning officers at strategic levels. Those managing or supervising social care staff in non-residential settings number around 6,000 to 7,000. It is not known how many have direct supervisor roles, but many will.

Sports Hubs

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list schools designated as sports hubs in each London local authority.

Jacqui Smith: The list of School Sport Partnership hub sites in each London local education authority is as follows:
	
		
			 LEA Hub school 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham Barking Abbey Comprehensive School and Sports College 
			 Barnet Whitefield School 
			 Barnet East Barnet School 
			 Barnet Queen Elizabeth's Girls School 
			 Bexley Bexley LEA 
			 Bexley Hurstmere Foundation School for Boys 
			 Brent Capital City Academy 
			 Brent Kingsbury High School 
			 Bromley Kelsey Park School 
			 Bromley Priory School 
			 Camden Haverstock School 
			 Croydon Archbishop Lanfranc School 
			 Croydon Selhurst High School for Boys 
			 Croydon Woodcote High School 
			 Ealing Featherstone High School 
			 Ealing West London Academy 
			 Enfield Enfield LEA 
			 Enfield Lea Valley High School 
			 Greenwich Eltham Green Specialist Sports College 
			 Hackney Hackney Free and Parochial CofE School and Sports College 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham Hammersmith and Fulham LEA 
			 Haringey St. Thomas More RC School 
			 Haringey White Hart Lane Secondary School 
			 Harrow Harrow LEA 
			 Havering Coopers Company and Coborn School 
			 Havering Emerson Park School 
			 Hillingdon John Penrose School 
			 Hounslow Isleworth and Syon School for Boys 
			 Islington Islington LEA 
			 Kensington and Chelsea Kensington and Chelsea LEA 
			 Kingston Upon Thames Chessington Sports College 
			 Lambeth London Nautical School 
			 Lewisham Haberdashers Askes Knights Academy 
			 Lewisham Lewisham LEA 
			 Merton Tamworth Manor High School 
			 Newham Cumberland School 
			 Newham Langdon School 
			 Redbridge Caterham High School 
			 Redbridge Mayfield School and College 
			 Richmond Upon Thames Whitton School and Sports College 
			 Southwark Bacons College 
			 Southwark Waverley School 
			 Tower Hamlets Langdon Park Community School 
			 Tower Hamlets Tower Hamlets LEA 
			 Waltham Forest Leytonstone School 
			 Waltham Forest Norlington School for Boys 
			 Waltham Forest Rush Croft School 
			 Wandsworth Southfields Community College 
			 Westminster City of Westminster LEA

Sure Start

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to ensure that deprived areas of Shrewsbury have access to the Sure Start programme.

Beverley Hughes: Shrewsbury and Atcham Sure Start Local Programme has been operating in Shrewsbury since March 2003, delivering Sure Start services to children under four and their families. The designation of Shrewsbury Children's Centre in December 2004 brought integrated services to 1,156 children under 5 and their families living in the wards of Harlescott, Sundorne, Battlefield and Heathgates, Castlefields and Quarry, Monkmoor and Underdale.
	For Phase 2 of the children's centre programme (200608) Shropshire local authority has been asked to create a further 10 children's centres and reach an additional 8,549 children. The authority has been allocated 3,339,900 in funding for this period.

Trust Schools

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what powers she proposes to give Trust schools which are not available to Foundation schools.

Jacqui Smith: The detailed arrangements for Trust schools will be set out in the Education Bill expected in the new year. Trust schools will benefit from all the freedoms available to Foundation schools. In addition the opportunity to form partnerships with external organisations will strengthen Trust schools' governing bodies, and help to invigorate school leadership by providing an external source of direction, continuity and focus for the school.

Trust Schools

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what audit arrangements she intends to put in place for the trust schools proposed in the White Paper.

Jacqui Smith: The audit arrangements for Trust schools will be the same as for all maintained schools. They will comply with the audit arrangements as set out by the local authority. All Trusts will by law be charities and will be subject to regulation by the Charities Commission.

Under-achievement

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps are being taken by her Department to ensure that school trusts (a) build upon best practice and (b) tackle underachievement.

Jacqui Smith: School Trusts will build on the long tradition of voluntary schools which are backed by Trusts and on the experience of Academies of working with a private or voluntary sector sponsor.
	The opportunity to form partnerships with external organisations will strengthen Trust schools' governing bodies, and help to invigorate school leadership by providing an external source of direction, continuity and focus for the school. Trust governors will help their schools to develop a distinctive ethos and approach to the curriculum and the organisation of the school, with a central focus on raising standards and creating new opportunities for children.